Online Reporter
Emmanuel Kafe
Herald Reporter
The family of Archbishop Ernest Paul Mamvura Mwazha has announced the full programme of prayer services and funeral arrangements for the revered founder of the African Apostolic Church, who died on Thursday at the age of 107.
Family spokesperson and personal physician, Dr Masimba Mwazha, said prayers were held yesterday morning and evening at the archbishop’s home at 8 Jefferson Road in Hatfield, Harare, as congregants and church leaders continued to gather to honour his memory.
Today, congregants across the country will hold services in their respective assemblies, while the senior church leadership — including bishops, ministers and provincial committees — is expected to convene at the archbishop’s residence for a special session dedicated to coordinating the days ahead.
According to the family, the Archbishop will be laid to rest at Chirasauta on Sunday, November 30, 2025.
Ahead of the burial, a multi-day programme has been set.
Congregants will gather at Guvambwa on Friday, November 28, with the archbishop’s body expected to be flown by helicopter to Guvambwa on Saturday, November 29 for a public body viewing.
Dr Mwazha said the detailed programme reflects the stature of the man and the scale of the church he built.
“A spiritual giant has rested . . . his influence will outlive generations,” he said.
Family members also highlighted that relatives and church members from across the world were travelling to Zimbabwe to pay their respects, highlighting the international footprint of the African Apostolic Church.
Born on October 25, 1918 at Holy Cross Mission in Chirumanzu, Archbishop Mwazha’s early life was marked by humble beginnings, a near-fatal childhood illness and a baptism by a German Catholic missionary — an event many regard as a sign of the spiritual calling that would define his life.
Before establishing the African Apostolic Church in the late 1950s, he trained as a teacher at Howard Institute and later served in the Methodist Church.
Over the decades that followed, his ministry grew into one of the most influential indigenous Christian movements in Africa, rooted in principles of holiness, humility and healing.
Dr Masimba Mwazha said the family was working closely with the church’s leadership to ensure smooth coordination as thousands of congregants, dignitaries and international visitors prepare to participate in the final send-off.
In the coming days, as mourners continue to gather and services unfold nationwide, Archbishop Mwazha’s legacy — spanning more than a century — is expected to resonate across Zimbabwe and beyond, a testament to a life dedicated to faith, service and the spiritual transformation of millions.
