SOME Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) church leaders have thrown their weight behind business tycoon and philanthropist Kudakwashe Tagwirei’s entrance into active politics saying it has become the norm globally.
This comes after some members had expressed their views against Tagwirei’s participation in politics following a recommendation by Zanu PF Harare province that the business tycoon be co-opted into the party’s highest decision-making organ outside congress, the central committee.
Some church members, however, went as far as writing a petition to the General Conference demanding the revocation of Tagwirei’s Global Award of Excellence, a petition which was also copied to the Zimbabwe Union Conference, the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division (SID), and the 62nd General Conference Session.
Tagwirei became the first black person to be accorded the Global Award of Excellence by the General Conference of the Seventh-Day Adventist at Solusi University in the outskirts of Bulawayo last month.
Lusaka Central SDA Church member, Mwemba Maluba, said it is not novel for church members to seek political power as it is rampant globally.
“It is vital that we, as a community, do not fall victim to these orchestrated attacks that aim to sow discord and diminish the credibility of honourable individuals and the church,” Maluba said.
“We urge members of the Seventh-Day Adventist Church and the wider community to approach these allegations with scepticism and to see them as part of a broader political strategy rather than established truths.”
SDA church leaders believe the petition seeking the revocation of the award was malicious and meant to undermine the businessman’s vast influence in the church, national and global level.
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“It is crucial to recognise that since Dr Tagwirei entered the mainstream political arena, the intensity of these allegations has significantly increased. The world needs to know that it is normal to be active in politics and remain a servant of God,” said Heather Dube, from City Centre church, in a joint statement.
“This organised campaign is rooted in frustration. These detractors were unable to secure financial backing from Dr Tagwirei for their own agendas, prompting them to resort to character assassination.”
Another church member Oswald Ngarande said there was nothing wrong with Tagwirei participating in mainstream politics.
“Former General Conference boss Ben Carson is a Republican who is in mainstream politics, while the current Vice-President of Botswana and Minister of Finance is also an Adventist. In Zimbabwe, the late John Landa Nkomo was an Adventist,” he said.
The Global Award of Excellence, the highest honour conferred by the General Conference of the SDA Church, recognises individuals who have made a significant global impact in education within the church.
It aims to inspire Adventists worldwide to support educational institutions and initiatives. The General Conference noted Tagwirei’s role in enhancing education across the world, particularly in Zimbabwe.
