HIGH Court judge Justice Siyabona Musithu has dropped a bombshell after ruling that Washington Mugodhi is not the leader of Mugodhi Apostolic Faith Church (MAFC), ending a leadership wrangle that has resulted in factionalism.
The court, however, reinstated Aaron Munodawafa as the substantive bishop of one of Zimbabwe’s biggest apostolic sects.
The Munodawafa faction had accused Mugodhi of disregarding the church constitution, which stated that in the event of the death of a bishop, his or her deputy assumes the leadership role.
According to a judgment dated August 14 in possession of NewsDay Weekender, Munodawafa is the legitimate leader of MAFC.
“The second defendant (Munodawafa) is the substantive bishop of the first defendant in terms of its constitution. The third defendant is the vice-bishop of the first defendant in terms of its constitution. The fourth defendant’s appointment as vice-bishop of the first defendant, being ultra vires, the first defendant’s constitution is null and void,” the judgment read.
“The fourth defendant is interdicted from holding himself as bishop of the first defendant. All appointments and or reassignments and actions of the fourth defendant in his purported capacity as bishop of the first defendant are unconstitutional and, therefore, null and void.”
As he battled cancer in July 2017, bishop Tadeu Mugodhi ordered the church’s top hierarchy to change a clause on succession in the then draft constitution to allow his son to take over after him, but all in vain.
The draft constitution was signed and passed in 2012 without any changes, against Tadeu’s wishes.
- Fresh land invasions hit Whitecliff
- 12 Mugodhi church members on the run
- Pomona cash row escalates
- Border Timbers targets European markets
Keep Reading
The church constitution states that leadership role is based on seniority and hierarchy.
On August 10, 2019, about two months before he died, Tadeu summoned all leaders in Budiriro, Harare, where one of his allies identified as Mutsvikiri announced that Washington had been appointed the first bishop.
The announcement immediately triggered protests.
At the time of Tadeu’s death, the church had two deputies, Munodawafa and Tony Sigauke.
Munodawafa, who hails from Gokwe and believed to be over 108 years old, is currently incapacitated due to advanced age, leaving Sigauke as acting bishop.
MAFC was formed in 1947 following a split from the then Kruger Apostolic Faith Mission, which consisted of members mainly from the white community.
In 1948, a large gathering was held at Chitsunge, Chokore village in Buhera, where Elijah Mugodhi was installed as bishop, hence the name “Mugodhi”.
Born in 1899, Elijah led the congregation from 1949 until the time of his death in 1971.
Following his death, his deputy Chakuwinga took over the reins as the leader.
Chakuwinga was succeeded by his vice known as Chikwenha, who after his death as well, was succeeded by Mabvuwiwa.
Mabvuwiwa then handed the baton stick to the late Tadeu, who was the son of the founding bishop Elijah.
The Munodawafa faction was all along denied access to the church headquarters, popularly known as PaChitope, in Wedza, among other premises, by the Washington faction.
At times violence would erupt, leaving some congregants nursing serious injuries as the two camps clash over worshiping space.
