A VICIOUS power struggle is rocking one of Zimbabwe’s oldest Pentecostal church, the Zimbabwe Assemblies of God Africa (ZAOGA) amid reports that two factions are at each other’s throats, strategically positioning themselves for take over from the 98-year-old founder Ezekiel Guti.
Zim Morning Post reports that one faction has technically held Guti hostage, pushing him to anoint a successor before his sun sets.
It is alleged that Guti, since January this year, has been “taken hostage” at his Chitungwiza home on the pretext that “the man of God was instructed to go and work from Chitungwiza.”
Another church elder said no one can now have access to Guti because all those who were close to him have been booted out of their influential positions, leaving him exposed to power grabbers.
The fight began when properties were transferred from his name without his knowledge and it took his daughter from his first marriage to reverse the move,” the church elder said.
Asked where Eunor Guti (Guti’s wife) is when such things are happening, the source said “Apostle Eunor Guti is siding with a faction that is currently on the upper hand.”
“Without her involvement Guti could have been at his Chisipite home but she convinced him to go to Chitungwiza.”
In order to push their preferred candidate for take-over, they are purging all long serving members without following due processes.
“These members were employed and they cannot be fired without following due processes.
“This will spill in courts as these members are likely to challenge the purging which are not consistent with labour laws,” the source opined.
In a dramatic boardroom coup one long serving secretary general Washington Rupapa was booted out.
“Rupapa was Guti’s right hand man and they had to boot him out so that they isolate the founder,” the source said adding: “The temperatures are simmering and if this is not properly handled the church is heading for a split
People like Gracious Chikore, Dorcas Jaricha and Laverne Simango/Simukai are playing crucial roles in purgings that are taking place in the church.
Baba Guti had said Joseph Guti was to remain at the headquarters, in a move many saw as anointing of a successor but he is being slowly pushed out.”
