Online Reporter
Samuel Kadungure
News Editor
TWO members of the Apostolic Faith Mission of Zimbabwe have petitioned the High Court to nullify the church’s May 2025 election of president, Dr Cossam Chiangwa, his deputy, Reverend Amon Chinyemba, secretary-general, Dr Nathan Nhira, and national administrator, Mr Shepherd Sebata, alleging the vote violated the church’s 65-year age limit.
Messrs Daniel Mhlanga and Dennis Maposa filed the application at the High Court in Harare on May 11, 2026 under case HCH2288/26, seeking a declaration that the May 3, 2025 election of the four leaders is invalid, and an order for fresh elections within 90 days.
The respondents are the Apostolic Faith Mission of Zimbabwe, Reverends Chiangwa, Chinyemba, Nhira and Mr Sebata.
The applicants say clause 14.2.1 of the church’s regulations sets the maximum age for presidium candidates at 65 years.
“The minimum age shall be 50 years, and not more than 65 years at point of election,” the clause states, according to court papers.
They argue that the same 65-year limit applies to deputy president and secretary-general through clause 10.3.2, which sets a “retirement age of 65 years” for provincial overseers, the pool from which those offices are filled.
They said on April 12, 2024, Dr Chiangwa issued an AFM of Zimbabwe 2025 Election Guidelines Manual to church structures, setting the minimum age for president at 50 “and not more than 65 years at the point of election,” stated Mr Mhlanga’s affidavit, adding that the Apostolic Council met on February 7, 2025 at Mufaro Conference Centre, Mushagashe, Masvingo, where Dr Chiangwa tabled a proposal to amend the constitution to allow candidates up to 70 years, citing Statutory Instrument 197 of 2024, which raised the civil service retirement age to 70.
“The proposal was highly and deeply resisted by members of the Apostolic Council who were present,” said Mr Mhlanga, adding that on February 8, 2025, Dr Chiangwa, as Apostolic Council chairman, introduced a motion to amend the maximum qualifying age for president from 65 to 70.
Twenty-five members attended, while 14 sent apologies – 19 voted – 12 in favour, seven against, and six abstained.
Dr Chiangwa declared the motion passed, and announced the maximum age was now 70, according to Mr Mhlanga.
The applicants argued that the change violated Clause 13.6 of the church constitution, which governs amendments, requiring written notice by a provincial workers council to the general-secretary six months before the next National Workers Council meeting, circulation to all Provincial Workers Councils, and approval by a two-thirds majority of the National Workers Council members present and voting.
“None of the procedures prescribed by Clause 13.6 were activated or complied with on February 8, 2025. The resultant resolutions are a nullity which must be set aside,” argued Mr Mhlanga.
The church held national elections were held on May 3, 2025 where Dr Chiangwa, Reverend Chinyemba and Dr Nhira were elected president, deputy president and secretary-general.
“Second to fourth respondents were all ineligible for elections as they had all reached the maximum constitutional age limit of 65 years,” he said, annexing their national identity cards as proof of age.
In a separate case, HCH4345/25, the first and second respondents denied amending the constitution, arguing that the Apostolic Council acted under Clause 14.5.1 to “explain and clarify all matters in the constitution which are not clearly understood and which need special interpretation.”
Mr Mhlanga rejected that position.
“There is no interpretation which reads the number 65 as 70. The meaning of ‘sixty-five’… was not in issue,” further arguing that Dr Nhira circulated a WhatsApp message before the May elections advising members that the Apostolic Council had set the age limit at 70.
Mr Maposa, in a supporting affidavit, said the alteration “had a direct bearing on the eligibility of candidates and materially affected the integrity of the electoral process.”
“The election conducted on May 3, 2025 proceeded on the basis of the altered qualifying criteria,” he said, adding: “Persons who would otherwise have been ineligible were permitted to participate.”
The applicants said there is no internal church body with power to declare the election invalid.
“That remit vests exclusively in this court,” said Mr Mhlanga, adding that they do not seek to nullify the entire election.
“I recognise that the majority of those elected were eligible for election under the constitution,” said Mhlanga, adding that the application targets only the presidium positions.
The draft order asks the court to declare the February 8, 2025 Apostolic Council resolution unlawful and void, and to declare that the applicable maximum age remains 65.
It also seeks an order setting aside the election of the four leaders, and directing the church to hold fresh elections within 90 days for president, deputy president, secretary-general and national administrator.
The draft states the new election must follow the constitution as it stood on February 7, 2025, and Dr Chiangwa’s April 12, 2024 memorandum.
It says Dr Chiangwa and Reverend Chinyemba “shall not be eligible for election at that election” and also seeks to invalidate all actions and resolutions made by the presidium since May 3, 2025 in their official capacities. The applicants asked that respondents pay costs.
It was not immediately clear why the two waited a year to challenge the election outcome.
Notably, Mr Mhlanga, a church elder, was elected provincial administrator for Bulawayo West Province through the same electoral system he is now contesting.
Dr Chiangwa confirmed the court case on Thursday, adding that the church would not issue a public statement until the matter is finalised.
“Shalom, thank you for your enquiry. I have not spoken to Dr Nhira to confirm whether he received your request or not. Nonetheless, I acknowledge the matters you have raised in your questions. I advise, however, that this matter is currently before the courts, and it is sub-judice. That being the case, it would be inappropriate for me to comment as doing so could potentially interfere with court process or give rise to issues of contempt of court. Until the matter is finalised, we won’t be making any public statements,” said Dr Chiangwa.
Following a 2018 split, from the Apostolic Faith Mission in Zimbabwe (AFMOZ) retained what it called the “original, unamended constitution,” which was used in the litigation.
