Zanu PF apologists turn wolves in sheep’s attire

If anyone doubted a sheaf of Biblical teachings that forewarns believers of any religion to be wary of wolves in sheep’s clothing, they need look no further than some Zimbabwean religious sects for proof.

A growing list of rape charges against high-profile religious sect leaders over the past few years has lent credence to the teachings in the Scriptures.

Incidents of rape of church colleagues have been gradually raising women activists’ hackles.

Gender lobbyists have raised the tempo in baying for the delinquents’ blood and incited women’s groups to push harder for stringent laws to curb the practice alongside domestic violence.

It has also provided firm reasons for the expeditious enactment of the Domestic Violence and Protection of Victims of Domestic Violence Act, activists and women legislators say.

Says Gender, Employment Creation and Women’s Affairs minister Oppah Muchinguri: “When women talk about violence and rape they are speaking from experience. Who better than these victims to provide useful input in the formulation of such a Bill?”

Yet it is not only the sect followers that have been stung by the debauched behaviour of the role models in the sects but also a headstrong ruling Zanu PF party still grappling to rediscover its political competitive edge.

The party has poked its snout into the religious trough and allowed itself to feed on the sect membership to boost its ranks in a desperate effort to maintain superiority.

But it cannot continue to consort with errant pastors when the victims are women who constitute the bulk of the party’s support base.

The ruling Zanu PF party exploited the religious charisma of the sect leaders to bolster its membership hoping to reverse diminishing support since 2000. It has courted sect leaders to woo their members to boost its ranks.

When Women’s League supporters realised it did not profit them much wearing their knees to the bone, kneeling at the airport for an itinerant President Robert Mugabe, sect leaders were more than willing to marshal their members to replace them.

Yet again, some sect leaders, whose fiery religious sermons and Bible-thumping antics have failed to keep their sexual intemperance in check, have nettled Zanu PF.

The leaders seem to misconstrue the reverence accorded them by their followers for a licence to abuse female sect members.

So far two prominent sect leaders have tarnished their images with rape cases against female members.

Another one will soon do so if women lobbyists maintain pressure and remain resolute about putting enough sting into a new rape law.

Invariably, the trilogy of self-anointed leaders of these sects’ real - though covert motives - appears to be hatred of democracy and admiration of totalitarianism.

They have not by any means expressed impartial disapproval of human rights violations but crow rather loudly of their disapproval of Britain and the US.

Sect leaders Lawrence Katsiru, Godfrey Nzira and lately Obadiah Msindo fit the script.

First to turn sheep in wolf’s skin was Nzira, the Chitungwiza-based leader of the Johane Masowe weChishanu sect.

Nzira’s apparent omnipotence was shattered when a magistrate’s court sentenced him to a 32-year prison term for raping two women members of his sect at his shrine.

Last week, Nzira’s sentence was reduced to 20 years.

Ironically, in what had become their habit whenever Nzira came to court, crowds of his followers - mainly women - gathered at the court building to protest his innocence.

Nzira at one time announced that he had a prophecy to the effect that President Mugabe was “divinely appointed King of Zimbabwe and no man should dare challenge his office”.

That was after President Mugabe had addressed an audience which included hundreds of the sect members, holding and lifting placards inscribed with Zanu PF political messages, while they sang Chimurenga songs as they toyi-toyied.

Katsiru, whose fame for prophecy had wide regional acclaim, easily transformed that trait into a political career in the mould of his religious peer, the late Border Gezi.

For more than a decade the “prophet” built a political career in Zanu PF that culminated in mobilising members of his sect to rally behind Zanu PF.

But the dross set in on November 13, 2003 when Katsiru raped a 13-year old church follower entrusted to the spiritual guru by her parents. Katsiru had acquired cult status among the followers.

Two weeks ago, another magistrate punished the spiritual leader for not walking the talk by sentencing Katsiru to seven years in prison for the offence.

The last of the unholy trilogy could be Reverend Msindo who has rape allegations hanging above his head like the Sword of Damocles.

Msindo, the suave leader of Destiny for Afrika Network, has built a profile as a ruling party apologist famed for doling out largesse to his followers.

Were he to be dragged to court on allegations of raping his maid, we could see another sheep in wolf’s attire.

But the tainted reputation has not stung the ruling Zanu PF party deep enough to discourage it from exploiting the membership of the sects, judging by the appearance of Mashonaland Central governor, Ephraim Masawi, at one of the large gatherings recently.

Masawi extolled sect members for “not calling for the removal of the country’s leadership as other church organisations are doing”.

But that does not detract from the embarrassing behaviour of the people Zanu PF has been courting to boost its support base as the economy continues its decline and followers desert.

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