By Staff reporter
Self-exiled former Zanu PF politburo member and G40 top dog, Professor Jonathan Moyo is embroiled in the succession crisis within the African Apostolic Church (AAC).
The church founder, Bishop Paul Mwazha is set to retire this year due to advanced age and health challenges. He is turning 102 this year, raising questions as to who would be his successor..
The succession war pits Bishop Mwazha’s two sons – Bishop Alfred Kushamisa Mwazha and his last born, Bishop Tawanda Mwazha. Sources said the latter is a staunch MDC activist, a status that his elder brothers and Bishop Mwazha are not comfortable with.
Bishop Kushamisa and the other elder brothers, who are all bishops, are accusing Bishop Tawanda of dragging the party into the MDC politics which is against the church doctrine.
A source within the church revealed that Bishop Tawanda is working together with Professor Moyo to outdo his brother’s faction which is believed to be commanding a larger following. The source said Prof Moyo sourced funds to marshal support for Bishop Tawanda’s faction.
“Bishop Tawanda Mwazha together with his faction members, Leonard Mukumba, Kurauone Sibanda and Patrick Mahachi travelled to Kenya at the end of February where they met (Prof) Moyo. The team was given some funds which they are now using to lure members from Bishop Kushamisa’s camp,” said the source.
He further revealed that Bishop Tawanda was currently funding some income generating projects for church members, a lure that he said was meant to bait members into his faction.
“Bishop Tawanda has imposed himself on the leadership of the church but this is against our church doctrine. He cannot assume leadership when Mutumwa is still alive and in any case, he is not ordained. You should not forget that all Mutumwa’s sons are bishops, so he has no legal standing to impose himself as our church leader,” said a pastor with the church which has over 1.5 million followers across Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana, Malawi, South Africa and the United Kingdom.
Prof Moyo has been working relentlessly to facilitate the unseating of President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s administration by whatever means. His ally, former Sunday Mail editor, Edmund Kudzayi revealed last month that Prof Moyo was very instrumental in bankrolling the MDC leader, Nelson Chamisa’s 2018 presidential bid. Prof Moyo was to later confirm the claim adding that other G40 kingpins also gave their financial support.
Tendai Marufu, a political analyst, noted that Prof Moyo has become too conflict-ridden.
“The MDC is deeply divided thanks to the Prof. It appears Chamisa is listening to him more than he did to his official advisors. This has not gone down well with his senior party lieutenants. He is a divisive element with a rich experience of causing divisions in organisations he belongs to. You don’t need to be clever to understand that he was responsible for the factional fighting that rocked Zanu PF prior to the restore legacy operation,” said Marufu.
Prof Moyo reportedly received US$5m from the US for various MDC campaign and propaganda projects. Part of the money will be used to fund the violent demonstrations that the youths have lined up.
Prof Moyo is also allegedly working with the MDC Chaplaincy Department to sway allegiance of perceived pro-Zanu PF churches. It is in this context that he attempts to turn AAC against Zanu PF.
In 2013, Mutumwa, as Bishop Mwazha is affectionately known by his followers, was accused by the MDC of urging his congregants to vote for Zanu PF. During the burial of his wife in April 2017, Bishop Mwazha openly declared his allegiance to Zanu PF.
Chamisa has been trying to lure Bishop Mwazha to an extent of heaping blasphemous praises on him. He visited the bishop last year to congratulate him on his 101st birthday. The visit was facilitated by Bishop Tawanda. However, the church was to later warn people not to read much from the visit saying, as a Bishop, Mutumwa Mwazha welcomes everyone.
