Online Reporter
The Herald, 12 September 1991
THE Methodist Church in Zimbabwe celebrated its centenary last week, making it the fifth religious group to live in Zimbabwe for the past 100 years.
The first Methodist missions in Zimbabwe were founded by two missionaries, Mr Owen Watkins and Mr Isaac Shimmin, who arrived in Harare, then Fort Salisbury, on September 29 1891.
The church built hospitals and schools and has since been involved in the development of Zimbabwe through the provision of health and education.
“From the very beginning, it was realised that to propagate the gospel it was necessary for locals to be educated. So the early schools, such as Waddilove and Tegwani, offered both religious and academic education.
The church now runs seven secondary schools, some of which offer A level studies. It had set up two hospitals at Waddilove and Kwenda but both have since closed and only clinics are run at these centres. During the early years, the church was not only involved in pupil education, it was also involved in teacher training at both Waddilove and Tegwani.
However, because of financial problems, the teacher training programme had to be abandoned.
“Perhaps it was a mistake to pull out because this deprived us of training teachers with a Christian commitment,” Rev Malaba said.
Some prominent Zimbabweans went to Methodist schools, including former president Cde Canaan Banana, Cde Nathan Shamuyarira, Cde Eddison Zvobgo, Cde Herbert Ushewokunze, Cde Sydney Sekeramayi and Cde Dumiso Dabengwa.
“A number of Government ministers today have a Methodist educational background and we would like to believe that this helps to influence their judgment and approach to social and political problems,” he said. He said it was the church’s hope that the partnership between the Government in education would continue to make Zimbabwe a model for Southern Africa.
Lessons for today:
From the passage about the Methodist Church in Zimbabwe, we learn several powerful lessons about the church’s impact, legacy, and contribution to national development over the past 100 years.
The church established schools like Waddilove and Tegwani, offering both academic and religious education. It trained teachers in its early years, contributing to the development of a morally grounded education system.
The church built hospitals and clinics, such as those at Waddilove and Kwenda, providing essential health services, especially in underserved areas.
The Methodist Church in Zimbabwe has played a significant and multifaceted role in the country’s political development, both during the colonial era and after independence.
