Zim mourns Munroe

Zimbabweans yesterday mourned the death of international preacher and author Dr Myles Munroe, who was killed in a plane crash in Bahamas together with his wife Ruth and daughter Charisa on Sunday.

The private jet they were travelling in struck a construction crane on approach to Grand Bahama International Airport, killing Dr Munroe and his family, together with six other people on board.

Dr Munroe, of the Bahamas Faith Ministries, was a popular figure in Zimbabwe and last visited the country in May this year where he toured the Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University in Bindura.

He was one of the main speakers at the ZAOGA International Christian Leadership Summit for Africa held at the Harare International Conference Centre in February 1993, which attracted delegates from all over the world. Zaoga spokesperson Dr Washington Rupapa said yesterday Dr Munroe was an important Christian leader in the world.

“He was one of Archbishop Ezekiel Guti’s spiritual sons,” he said. “He used to come over to attend conferences together with his wife,” he said.

“He played a number of roles, he ministered to leaders, he was a consultant, a trainer, counsellor and a leadership coach.

“He left a very great gap that will take years to fill.” Dr Munroe has written more than 23 books and travelled throughout the world as a speaker addressing governments, businesses and church congregations. He was headed across Bahamas from Lynden Pindling International Airport near Nassau, capital of the archipelago nation, to Grand Bahama, where he was due to host a church conference.

Apart from his wife Ruth and daughter Charisa, he was accompanied by Bahamas Faith Ministries deputy Richard Pinder and another pastor.

Authorities said the Lear jet exploded on impact with a crane at the Grand Bahama shipyard as it was making its landing and plunged into a junkyard below at about 5.10 pm, an hour after take-off from Nassau.

The Bahamas Faith Ministries is among the largest religious congregations in Bahamas, with thousands of worshippers. — Herald Reporter/Agencies.