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Information and Publicity Webster Shamu, said this while addressing hundreds of worshippers of the Guta RaMwari (Zvimiso) from Botswana, Malawi, South Africa and Zimbabwe yesterday.
The group converged at the holy shrine in Gurure communal lands in Nyazura to celebrate the life and legacy of their late leader Taxwell Tayali who died on April 6, 2003.
“I believe you still remember stories of missionaries who came to Africa wielding the Bible in one hand and a gun in another during the period of colonialism.
“They made the negative descriptions of Africans despite the fact that our people already had sustained rich systems of belief and governance practices long before the arrival of the missionaries and colonisation.
“The indigenous churches must therefore not be apologetic in standing by the people’s just claim to own and exploit their resources and their resolve to stand by their God given leader President Mugabe,” Minister Shamu said.
He said the colonial regimes exploited our resources in Zimbabwe and other African countries for their own benefit and the country was facing the current onslaught by Western countries because of its abundant natural resources.
“Therefore the church itself the body of Christ, must always be faithful to God’s creation and redemption plans. The church, which has to always be guided by the Holy Spirit and the scriptures, must correct the misfortunes made by some missionaries during the early days of the church in Africa who were among the pioneers of our continent’s colonisation,” Minister Shamu said.
The minister also implored the worshippers to stand solidly behind President Mugabe during the forthcoming elections expected to be held this year.
“President Mugabe is a brave, selfless and loving leader who has subordinated his personal interests to the collective interests of the people of Zimbabwe his entire life.
“Let us stand by our tried and tested leader who has always cherished and upheld qualities such as loyalty to the people’s cause and dedication to the realisation of the peoples aspirations,” Minister Shamu said.
President Mugabe, he added was “the embodiment of the resilient and enduring revolutionary spirit of the people of Zimbabwe. He is a patriot par excellence, a
people centred leader who is disciplined, focused, dedicated, principled and unwavering.”
Guta RaMwari’s (Zvimiso) secretary general, Evangelist Barnabus Cha-moto, also outlined the wishes of the church to build a university and a clinic in Gurure and requested Government to allocate them land.
The youth at the church represented by Mr Life Gumbo and Ms Selepiah Sosera, also appealed to the minister to ensure that the youth in Gurure communal areas benefited from the youth empowerment programmes as well as the Presidential Scholarship.
The celebrations were also attended by Zanu-PF Manicaland provincial chairman, Cde Mike Madiro, central committee member Cde Molly Ndlovu, senior Government officials and hundreds of followers from Sadc.
The church has a combined followers of over 60 000 from Zimbabwe, Botswana, Malawi, Zambia, South Africa, Australia and the United Kingdom.
Online Reporter