Mushakata saga far from over

Post Correspondents
HARDLY a month after the long-standing rift between members of the Independent African Church (Mushakata) in Dangamvura and the church’s former conference chairman, Mr Darlington Muzanechita was brought to an end by the courts, it seems the impasse is far from over, The Manica Post learnt this week.

Early this month, the courts ruled that Shame Shelton Chituri was the legitimate bishop of the Independent African Church and Mr Muzanechita was ordered not to harass the church and its members.

A church member believed to be from Muzanechita’s faction on Tuesday appeared before senior Mutare magistrate, Mrs Sekai Chiwundura, facing contempt of court charges after he withheld church keys and refused to hand them over to the legitimate parties.

Jonah Mareya (33) was not asked to plead.

Mr Fletcher Karombe was representing the State.

Mareya was initially remanded to February 11, 2016.

The court heard that on January 13, Batsirai Nyakatsapa, who is the church coordinator, called Mareya and asked him to submit the Independent African Church (Mushakata) church keys.

Mareya allegedly indicated that he was in the Mutare Central Business District and that he would meet Nyakatsapa and hand over the keys that day.

“Nyakatsapa proceeded to Mutare CBD, but failed to locate Mareya at a place they had both agreed on. Mareya’s phone was no longer reachable then. He acted unlawfully by so doing,” said Mr Karombe.

It was also revealed to the courts that Mareya and Nyakatsapa were church mates, but from different factions at Independent African Church (Mushakata) Dangamvura Assembly.

In a separate court case heard in Mutare, 15 members of the church who sought protection order at Mutare Magistrates’ Court against the alleged perpetrators of the confusion who are Mr Muzanechita, Mr Shepherd Rusanga, Mr Renious Mugabe, Mr Lloyd Travor Mayakayaka, Mr Jona Mareya and Mr Rueben Chihwai were also granted their application.

Mrs Yeukai Chigodora ordered the six to keep order towards the applicants, not to bar the applicants from worshipping at Dangamvura Assembly and make decisions which are in terms of constitution and enforced in terms of law.

A senior church member privy to the goings-on at the church said although the court did its best to bring sanity to the long-standing rift, the illegitimate faction were stubborn and were hindering the smooth flow of proceedings at the church.

“The courts did justice. We won the matter but the faction that lost the court case wants war. We have been conducting church services every Sunday outside the church building.

“They still want control yet they lost the battle. We can’t hold the church services inside because we can’t operate under them. We can’t continue warring with them but they should just respect the courts,” said the member who requested anonymity.