STAFF WRITER
The African Apostolic Church (VaApostora VeAfrica) has reignited its internecine leadership wrangle barely a week after the Supreme Court had brought the bruising leadership fight to a halt, declaring Ernest Paul Mamvura Mwazha as a bona fide leader.
In an urgent chamber application filed at the High Court, The African Apostolic Church cited Alfred Kushamisa Mwazha, Ngoni Edward Mwazha and other seven people as respondents.
The African Apostolic Church has expressed disquiet over the respondents’ disregard of the Supreme Court judgement which resolved leadership dispute, claiming that the respondents have set up parallel structures and appointments to confuse the church.
“Notwithstanding, the decision of the Supreme Court, which decided with finality and dismissed the leadership claims of the 1st Respondent, who has contemptuously defied the judgement, together with the other Respondents and have set up parallel structures and appointments to confuse the Church, together with convening an illegal meeting at the Church’s Shrine in Ndarikure Shrine in the Midlands Province set for on the 29th to 31st October 2021,” reads the court application.
In the court papers before the High Court, the Applicants noted that the 1st Respondent also has the temerity of violently taking control of the Church, further saying police had intervened to quell militant action by the people affiliated 1st Respondent faction in Mutare shortly after the Supreme Court judgement.
“In Mutare the weekend after the judgement, all services were disrupted. People appointed into positions of leadership by the 1st Respondent tried to forcefully take control of Church proceedings, resulting in resistance from the congregation. This led to violence erupting. Police have had to be called to maintain peace and order during services,” said The African Apostolic Church.
The Applicants also chronicled violent skirmishes unleashed by the Respondents which resulted in bodily harm of some church members prior to Supreme Court judgement.
“There are other cases where the violence has resulted in grievous bodily harm. One such case was that of Caledonia Farm African Apostolic Church Eastview Circuit. On the 27th October 2020, one Onias Sibanda assaulted one Hatidani Maphosa with the intention to cause grievous bodily harm. A police report was made and opened at Mabvuku Police Station under RRB 4539885,” said the Applicants.
In a voluminous urgent court application, The African Apostolic Church wrote that the 2nd Respondent continued to claim himself a Bishop of the church disregarding the Supreme Court ruling that barred him and other Respondents from interfering in the affairs of the Church.
“Surprisingly, after receiving their suspension letters and the Supreme Court judgement, the 2nd Respondent wrote a letter to Bishops Chiseko and Israel Mwazha notifying them that there was a meeting at the Church’s Headquarters being 8 Jefferson Road, Hatfield, Harare. The 2nd Respondent was expressing himself as a Bishop in the Church.”
The Applicant is seeking immediate court intervention to halt the Respondents from further conducting their business in the church’s name.
“The holding of a procedural, illegal and null and void Priesthood Council meeting is an injury committed against the 1st Applicant. The decisions made therein are deleterious, as the Respondents have defied the findings of the Supreme Court and now we have rebels and renegades who are a law unto themselves taking control of the Church Structures, appointing their own office bearers and acting in contempt of court,” argued The African Apostolic Church.
