Mutare Bureau
ZANU PF national chairperson Cde Oppah Muchinguri-Kashiri has hailed Johane the Fifth of Africa International Church for complementing Government’s development thrust through social programmes that uplift communities and protect vulnerable groups.
Addressing congregants at the Restoration Prayer gathering in Zimunya, Manicaland Province yesterday, Cde Muchinguri-Kashiri, who was represented by the ruling party’s deputy national political commissar, Cde Webster Shamu, said the church’s practical interventions in education and social welfare demonstrated how faith-based organisations can play a transformative role in national development.
“As Government, we are encouraged when the church takes deliberate steps to ensure that no one and no place is left behind,” said Cde Muchinguri-Kashiri, who is also Defence Minister.
“Your work through the education department and the Ruvheneko Rwenyenyedzi Trust, which is protecting our girls from early marriages and empowering them through education, speaks directly to His Excellency the President’s mantra of leaving no one and no place behind.”
Cde Muchinguri-Kashiri said the Trust’s focus on safeguarding the future of young girls resonates with the country’s broader developmental agenda under Vision 2030, which seeks to transform the country into an upper-middle-income economy.
“Vision 2030 is not an abstract concept. It is about people, our children, our mothers, our communities. When you protect a girl child from early marriage and give her access to education, you are contributing to the economic and social transformation of this nation,” she said.
Sustainable development can only thrive in an environment characterised by unity, peace and love, added Cde Muchinguri-Kashiri.
“A nation is built on unity and peace. The church has a critical role in preaching love, tolerance and harmony. These values are the foundation upon which economic growth and social progress are anchored,” she said.
Cde Muchinguri-Kashiri urged congregants to remain patriotic and to actively participate in initiatives that strengthen communities economically and socially.
She reiterated that Government views churches as key stakeholders in nation-building, particularly in promoting moral uprightness and social cohesion.
As the country accelerates efforts towards Vision 2030, Cde Muchinguri-Kashiri said partnerships between Government and the church will remain crucial in ensuring inclusive growth.
“Let us continue to work together, Government, church and the community so that the vision of a prosperous and united Zimbabwe becomes a lived reality for every citizen,” she said.
Minister of State for Provincial Affairs and Devolution for Manicaland, Advocate Misheck Mugadza, also commended the church for its growing footprint in community development projects across the province.
Adv Mugadza said Manicaland continues to benefit from partnerships between Government and faith-based organisations in areas such as education, social welfare and youth empowerment.
“We welcome the church’s commitment to community development and its efforts to complement Government programmes.
“Devolution is about ensuring that development reaches every ward and every household. When the church invests in education and social protection initiatives, it strengthens the province’s development matrix,” he said.
Church founder, Archbishop Dr Andby Makururu, said the Johane the Fifth of Africa International Church remains committed to spiritual renewal and social responsibility.
“We believe that prayer must be accompanied by action. As a church, we have taken it upon ourselves to promote education and protect vulnerable members of society, especially the girl child.
“Our vision is to see communities that are spiritually grounded and economically empowered,” he said.
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