Leadership wrangle for Paul Mwazha’s African Apostolic Church turns nasty; faction boasts of having police in their pocket

By Mary Taruvinga

FACTIONAL battle for the control of  Paul Mwazha’s African Apostolic Church (VaApostora VeAfrica) has escalated with the other party writing to the police boss complaining that some officers were being bribed to favour Enerst Mhambare’s cabal.

A faction led by church bishops Simbanechako Sveta and Paul Chari have written ZRP Commissioner General Godwin Matanga alleging that Mhambare is boasting that he has police in his pockets.

The bishops through their lawyer, Admire Rubaya of Rubaya and Chatambudza legal practitioners, has resulted in scores of congregants getting arrested at Mhambare’s instructions, for not being aligned to his faction.

The lawyers said the group led by their clients was given authority by their leader, Paul Mwazha to visit all the shrines in Zimbabwe, which are under the control of their church for purposes of congregations and prayer sessions but Mhambare was making it difficult.

“The only leader who is accepted as the leader of that church is Archbishop Ernest Paul Mamvura Mwazha and no one else.

“However, we hasten to point out that Ernest Mhambare and his cabal are abusing an Order of the High Court of Zimbabwe per Honourable Justice Mangota obtained under the cover of Case No. HC537/22 dated the 24th of June 2022.

“It is clear that the order was obtained against Alfred Kushamisa Mwazha, Ngoni Edward Mwazha, James Mwazha, Richard Juru, Elson Tafa, Charles Tekeshe, Lovemore Mharadze and Norman Siyamuzhombe.

“However, the harassment by the police has been extended beyond these specified individuals, and in particular, to our clients,” wrote the lawyers.

It is also their belief that they are being fought for aligning with Zanu PF and President Emmerson Mnangagwa whom they invited to a recent church conference.

“Our clients suspect that Ernest Mhambare and his cabal are sympathetic to the Western sponsored opposition political party CCC because they were not happy that in the run-up to the harmonised elections, the President, His Excellency Cde. Dr Emmerson Dambudzo Mnangagwa attended to a congregation on the 11th of June 2022 organised by Bishop Sveta and his team only not that of Ernest Mhambare,” they wrote.

The lawyers said police officers have, without any evidence, been abusing their arresting powers against Bishop Sveta and his colleagues on the basis of an order of court that does not relate to them.

“There is no basis for the Police to try and interdict Bishop Sveta, Paul Chari, and his colleagues from convening meetings of the African Apostolic Church, visiting the shrines/places of worship or organising praying events there,” said the lawyers.

They added Mhambare believes that he is the current leader of the church yet he is not.

“In the circumstances, we urge you to investigate the abuse of the Police powers by members of the Police force on account of instructions from Ernest Mhambare who boasts of having some of the Police Officers in his pocket.

“Our clients’ concern is exacerbated by their intention to convene and organise a meeting of The African Apostolic Church at Guvambwa on the 6th to the 8th of October 2023.

“Therefore, it is critical for the Zimbabwe Republic Police to actually attend our clients’ meetings for purposes of keeping peace since they are at peace.”

The lawyers said they are of a view that Mhambare and his cabal want to cause mayhem in Zimbabwe after the just-ended general elections.

They said even if he was the leader, he had no right to abuse the justice system.

According to the letter, as it stands the officer in charge Sadza Police Station has already arrested and detained Edinezel Chimuka, Thomas Tongei, and Wellington Gava on the basis of an order of court which neither cites nor relates to them.