CommuTalk Reporter
GWERU: The Mwazha Apostolic sect has come under the spotlight after refusing to bury one of their members, Angelina Charingira over a history that she would confront church leadership over accountability issues.
Facts gathered by CommuTalk reveal that the deceased had earlier been in a confrontational dispute with a senior evangelist, Admore Munodawafa whom she confronted over misusing funds.
This is regardless of the fact that the late Charingira has been an active member of the church since 1992 and has been participating in all church events much to the benefit of the sect.
The late Charingira is said to have bankrolled church activities to the tune of thousands of dollars between 2001 and 2009 when she was in the diaspora which today is giving her a back at a time, she is supposed to say goodbye to mother earth.
This publication is also told that of the pastors surrendered car keys belonging to the deceased that had been doing rounds on church business all along yesterday.
“I cannot talk of disputes or anything that is alleged to have had happened but I will simply refer to church policy. The member had seized membership and as church, our policy is we do not do anything in this case.
“About her continuously dressing as one of us or having portraits in her home that resemble her following to the church does not translate to the fact that she was still a member to us. As a church we are however not barred from attending former members’ funerals and such we have done,” Munodawafa said.
The family however thinks otherwise as they argue that their late relative is simply being neglected for challenging authority and argue that following Chiringira’s health deterioration and the ongoing lockdowns, she could not attend church meetings for which her absence has been cited as self-withdrawal from the church in the past year.
“Am utterly shocked by the decision taken by the church. If you enter aunt’s room everything about her resembles her religious beliefs as she has been a loyal Mwazha follower. She has been a very loyal beneficial of the church particularly when she was in the diaspora and this is the thank you she gets like seriously?
“Am yet to come to terms with the way this church operates because my aunt has not been feeling well for the past year and yet now, they are saying she is no longer a member basing on the fact that she could not attend church when we all know what has been happening,” said a worried cousin of the diseased who preferred anonymity.
The church member’s body has been lying in state with relatives and church members still puzzled on the way forward by Saturday evening.
A church member who preferred anonymity said she has been shocked by the state of events concerning the diseased as she has been a devout member of the sect.
“Surely how can they do this to Mai Charingira. We know her since time immemorial. She has always been part of us and never let us down on such pertinent issues. She is one of my role models since I joined the church in 2019.
“This is not what Baba Mwazha’s teachings are all about am really contemplating the worst with regards my future in this church as I feel betrayed really. Personal issues must never affect church business and am a principled individual and I hope the leaders think twice before bringing the church’s name to disrepute,” she said.
It is a Christianity norm that the deceased receives blessings from his or her church following upon their departure from mother earth, a custom that families give a lot of importance, though the apostolic sect has been on record of denying to bury their own based on church doctrine dictates.
