A 19-year-old Jacob Masuka was recently ordained to become Bishop of one of the biggest African Indigenous Churches in Zimbabwe, Zion Apostolic Church (1923) taking over from his late father Felix Toperesu Masuka who died in a car crash on May 8 this year.
The young Masuka who is probably the youngest Bishop in the
Zionist churches was ordained at the church headquarters in Bikita by his
father’s fellow Bishops and close allies Makuva Mutendi, who leads one of the
many Zion Christian Church (ZCC) denominations and Jameson Andreas who leads
Zion Apostolic Faith Mission Church (ZAFSMC).
ZAC 1923 national chairperson Robson Mavhenyengwa said the
ordination was as per church tradition that the eldest son of the late Bishop
takes over reins after his father, which made Jacob the heir.
Mavhenyengwa said he was going to work with the guidance of
his late father’s priests and other church leaders so there will be smooth
continuity.
“We ordained the new Bishop as per church tradition that
the first son of the late Bishop takes over and that is what happened. He is
young but we are confident that he will further the church development with the
aid of high priests and other church leaders,” said Mavhenyengwa.
The young Bishop took over the leadership of the church
that was being contested by his late father’s brother who felt he was not the
right heir to the church leadership after the death of their father David
Masuka.
Felix took over the reins in 2015 but his ascension to
power led to continuous clashes with his brothers mainly Jacob who is the young
Bishop’s namesake.
Felix, who was generally referred to as Mambo Fere by his
congregants wrestled for the church leadership with his young brother who had
support from their mother.
However, by being the eldest, he had support from the
church’s high priest. Jacob then led a breakaway branch which was not
successful as it attracted fewer followers with some ending up reverting to
Felix.
He however continued to have clashes with his brothers, who
kept fighting him and since 2016 he recorded several assault incidents from
unknown people who were believed to have been sent by his rivals.
In 2016 just after taking over, Jacob’s wife is said to
have lied in the road when Felix was driving home from Chikuku Business Centre
and when he stopped to check, a group of youths came out and pelted the vehicle
with stones damaging the windscreen.
In 2023, Felix was allegedly kidnapped near Chikuku
Business Centre and was taken to a certain homestead where he was stripped
naked and pictures of him naked were taken and circulated on social media.
The alleged abductors are said to have claimed that they
had found him with a married woman in a compromising position. The church
leadership went on to convene a press conference to deny the allegations and
set the record straight. TellZimNews
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