A new fight is brewing in the Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) amid claims that followers of a splinter group led by Reverend Cossam Chiangwa are planning to besiege church premises countrywide and disrupt services today.
The battle to control AFM started in 2018 and has played
out in the public for the past three years. It resulted in the emergence of two
rival camps, one led by Reverend Amon Dubie Madawo and the other by Rev Cossam
Chiangwa who was the church’s former deputy president.
AFM Harare north province overseer Reverend Charukwa who is
under Reverend Amon Dubie Madawo’s faction has since sent a communique to
congregants, urging them to “defend and guard the church” as the rival faction
that recently lost a court ruling to control the church’s property is planning
to cause anarchy today.
The statement, which The Sunday Mail is in possession of
reads:
“Be at the church way before your usual starting time or
have people at the church who will stop our erstwhile brothers when they try to
enter the premises. Make sure all doors and gates are locked and secure only to
be opened when we start church. This ensures maximum security on our part.”
In another statement dated October 16, the interim
secretary general of AFM, Elder Chiwaridzo alleges that there have been recent
cases of contempt of court, unlawful entry and trespassing at a number of the
church’s assemblies around the country.
“Relevant reports on the transgression were lodged to the
police with the intention of allowing the law to deal with the offenders.
Charges were duly preferred to the offenders,” reads the statement.
Elder Chiwaridzo also said they were pushed to respond in
view of threats of violence and lawlessness from the rival faction.
“Our leaders are required to ensure adequate protection of
all members and church property in light of a call to lawlessness from some
quarters . . .”
In a terse response to this reporter last night Pastor
Chiangwa, whose faction is accused of plotting the planned disturbances, denied
that they had plans to disrupt services.
“We are not aware of any plot to besiege a church
congregation, we remain a peaceful people no matter what,” he said.
The dispute between the two camps spilled into the Supreme
Court after a group led by Rev Chiangwa filed an appeal against a High Court
order which gave Rev Madawo’s faction blessings to lead the church.
The row over control of the church and its assets was
sparked by the church’s council meeting held at Rufaro, Masvingo in 2018.
The meeting, as part of its resolutions, passed a vote of
no confidence on the president of the church Reverend Aspher Madziyire. The
results of the council meeting saw leaders of both factions taking the matter
to court. Sunday Mail
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