Mr. Tungwarara, please prove that Mnangagwa was chosen by God

I find it deeply troubling that some individuals in Zimbabwe appear to have no fear of Jehovah, even as they shamelessly misuse His holy name for political gain.

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Unless they are referring to some other deity, it is difficult to comprehend how anyone who genuinely believes in the one true God could so casually commit blasphemy.

This disturbing trend is not new.

We saw it during the late Robert Mugabe’s era, when both political and religious figures tripped over themselves to declare him “anointed by God,” even calling him the “son of God.”

Now, decades later, the same disgraceful spectacle is being replayed under President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s rule.

Once again, we are hearing voices proclaiming that he was divinely chosen to lead Zimbabwe — the latest being presidential advisor Paul Temptor Tungwarara.

I must confess that his recent utterances infuriated me as a follower of Jesus Christ.

There is a difference between political loyalty and spiritual deception.

Politicians will always say and do anything to curry favour with their leaders — that is their nature.

But when they begin to drag the sacred name of Jehovah into their political theatre, they cross a line that no true believer should tolerate.

The Bible is clear that using God’s name in vain is a sin.

In Exodus 20:7, the third commandment warns: “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses His name.”

Tungwarara and those like him would be wise to remember that this is not a trivial matter.

They are playing with fire — divine fire.

Even leaders who were genuinely chosen by God in biblical times were later rejected by Him when they turned against His will.

King Saul comes to mind — anointed by God through the prophet Samuel, yet stripped of divine favour when he chose his own path over obedience.

When people like Tungwarara proclaim that President Mnangagwa was chosen by God, they not only risk God’s wrath upon themselves, but may unwittingly invite it upon the very leader they seek to praise.

If Tungwarara is so sure that God personally appointed President Mnangagwa, then he must prove it.

We have heard such claims before — both in politics and in the church — from individuals who later turned out to be charlatans and deceivers.

The world has witnessed countless self-proclaimed “men of God” who abused their followers, stole from the poor, and committed acts that directly contradicted the teachings of Christ.

Many of them performed miracles and used the name of Jesus, yet their fruits exposed them as frauds.

Jesus Himself warned in Matthew 7:22–23: “Many will say to me on that day, ‘Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name and in your name drive out demons?’ Then I will tell them plainly, ‘I never knew you. Away from me, you evildoers!’”

Therefore, the mere invocation of God’s name — or even the performance of wonders — is not proof of divine appointment.

The scriptures also remind us that the devil himself can masquerade as an angel of light (2 Corinthians 11:14).

Pharaoh’s magicians imitated some of Moses’ miracles, turning rods into snakes just as Moses did — yet only Moses’ serpent, empowered by Jehovah, swallowed the others.

The true test of God’s appointment is found in the lasting evidence of His presence — unmistakable, divine signs that confirm His hand upon a leader’s life and work.

When God truly sends someone, He does not leave His people in doubt.

Moses’ calling was accompanied by undeniable wonders — the parting of the Red Sea, manna from heaven, water from the rock, plagues upon Egypt.

These were clear demonstrations that God was with him.

God’s signs are never ambiguous, vague, or hidden within the ordinary course of life.

They are unmistakable, supernatural, and beyond human comprehension.

They are not the routine successes or coincidences of life that anyone—believer or non-believer alike—can achieve.

Even being a “good and successful leader” is not proof of divine appointment, because many atheists and non-believers throughout history have been remarkable leaders who governed justly and prospered their nations without ever invoking the name of God.

If President Mnangagwa was indeed appointed by God, then Zimbabweans have every right to ask: where are the signs?

Where is the divine evidence?

For a country so ravaged by poverty, corruption, hunger, and repression, surely God’s presence would have manifested in the healing of the land, the restoration of justice, and the upliftment of the people.

Yet, what we see daily is the opposite.

Moreover, Tungwarara and others who misuse scripture to justify political power should understand that the biblical context of divine kingship does not apply to modern democratic governance.

When the Apostle Paul wrote in Romans 13:1 that “there is no authority except that which God has established,” he was addressing early Christians who lived under monarchs and emperors — rulers who claimed divine right and who often persecuted believers.

Paul’s message was one of submission for the sake of peace, not blind endorsement of tyranny.

In fact, even Paul himself frequently disobeyed these same rulers whenever their commands conflicted with the teachings of Christ.

He was imprisoned, flogged, and ultimately executed precisely because he refused to bow to unjust authority when it contradicted God’s will.

His life is therefore a testament that obedience to God sometimes means defying earthly rulers — a truth that completely dismantles the idea that every political leader automatically rules by divine decree.

Today, Zimbabwe is not an ancient kingdom ruled by divine decree.

It is a republic, governed by a Constitution that explicitly states that “the authority to govern derives from the people.”

Modern leaders are elected — or at least supposed to be — by citizens through democratic processes.

Therefore, anyone claiming that a president was chosen by God is not only distorting scripture but trampling upon the very foundation of our Constitution.

If we, the people, voted him into power (even through flawed elections), then he is our appointee — our employee — and answerable to us, not to any supposed divine mandate that shields him from accountability.

It is both dangerous and dishonest to use religion to silence criticism or justify misrule.

The moment citizens are told that questioning a leader is equivalent to questioning God, dictatorship takes root under the guise of divine will.

Zimbabwe has already suffered enough under such political idolatry.

We witnessed how Mugabe’s regime weaponised scripture to sanctify oppression, only for him to fall in disgrace.

Those who fail to learn from that history are destined to repeat it.

So, to Mr. Tungwarara, I say this with all due respect: if you truly believe that President Mnangagwa was chosen by God, then please prove it.

Show us the evidence of divine favour upon him.

Show us the moral righteousness, the justice, the prosperity, and the compassion that accompany God’s chosen servants.

Until then, stop invoking the sacred name of Jehovah to sanitise political ambitions and shield leaders from accountability.

God does not endorse corruption.

He does not anoint injustice.

He does not bless the suffering of His people.

The God I serve stands with the oppressed, not with those who exploit His name for power.

So, let’s leave the Almighty out of political theatre.

Zimbabweans elected a president, not a prophet.

And unless there is clear, divine proof otherwise, let’s not insult our Creator by claiming that He personally appointed the man who came to power through a coup d’état.

Jehovah’s name is holy — and it must never be dragged through the mud of politics.

• Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 |  +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/