Addressing thousands of St Noah Taguta-led Johanne Marange
followers at Mafararikwa Village in Bocha during their Passover ceremony
yesterday, the President said Zimbabwe was endowed with bountiful resources,
including wildlife, and has the sovereign right to determine how they are
managed.
He was attending the event for the second year running
since he assumed power. “You are supposed to work hard at family level and in your
areas and when such efforts extend to the national level our country prospers.
“We had a United Nations meeting recently (AU-UN Wildlife
Economy Summit held in Victoria Falls) where leaders from other countries tried
to lecture us on how to manage our wildlife. Vakadya mhuka dzavo dzikapera.
Zvose zvavakapihwa naMwari havachina. Ndokuchiuya kuno kuzoti lecture
nezveshumba, nenzou, nenyathi, voda kutipa mitemo hanzi musadayi musadayi.
Dzenyu dzakaendepi?” he said.
President Mnangagwa said he told the foreigners to mind
their own business.
“Saka ndakavati dzokerai kwenyu, dzedu takapihwa naMwari
tichadzitonga sokuda kwedu,” he added.
Zimbabwe, the President said, was God-given and it was up
to Zimbabweans to determine how they manage their resources.
He urged churches to preach the gospel of love and respect. Only God appoints national leaders and without his
endorsement and blessings, such onerous responsibility is denied, he said.
The Head of State and Government reiterated his commitment
to servant leadership and pledged to listen to people’s grievances.
“Leadership comes from God. No one gets such responsibility
against God’s will, but once chosen to lead one must serve the people and not
oppress them merely because God has favoured them to lead. . .
“I will be your servant and I will listen to all your
grievances.” The President thanked St Noah and his followers for voting for
him during last year’s harmonised elections and pledged close cooperation with
the church.
An important bond, he said, has been created. “You said as followers of St Noah you know one thing —
respecting what your leader tells you. Through your leader St Noah you promised
to vote for me. Ndinotenda. God be with you. I will not abandon you. It is
impossible. I will be with you forever. There is now a bond between the church
and us.”
He pledged to fulfil promises he made to the church. President Mnangagwa has already met some of his pledges by
ensuring that boreholes were drilled at the shrine to facilitate reliable water
supply.
The Johanne Marange Apostolic Church thanked President
Mnangagwa for joining them during an important event in the church’s calendar.
Speaker after speaker implored the President to ensure the
relationship between him and the church’s leader, St Noah, is cemented.
The church’s followers from across the Sadc region also
attended the Passover.
Senior Government officials who attended the ceremony
include Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica
Mutsvangwa, Defence and War Veterans Affairs Minister Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri
and Labour and Social Welfare Minister Dr Sekai Nzenza. Sunday Mail
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