Medios de Comunicación y la Sociedad Ecuatoriana

On 29 May 2016 the Sunday Mail reported that due to the economic crisis in Zimbabwe, temporary money (bond notes) would be introduced so that people can use these as a form of currency. It was reported that Afriexim Bank would sponsor the bond notes. This step was one of the measures taken by the Afriexim Bank to arrest inflation of the currency. Yet it seems that Zimbabweans are not ready to accept the bond notes, being mindful of what happened in 2007. Prophet Magaya of PHD Ministries, who is also a businessman, encouraged the Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) to explain the issuing of bond notes in all the indigenous languages so that any

wrong perceptions by the public could be corrected. Asked about Zimbabwe’s economic future given the numerous challenges facing the country, Prophet Magaya said that there was potential to turn around the economy within six months if the government and other stakeholders worked together to boost agriculture, exploit minerals and arrest rampant corruption. He said that Zimbabwe is blessed with vast resources such as human capital, land and minerals that could transform the economy if used properly.

Prophet Magaya announced that he met with RBZ Governor, Dr. John Mangudya, over the issue of introducing bond notes as a local currency. Magaya warned the governor that the issue of bond notes was a noble idea, but that it was not explained correctly to the people, which is why they protested against it in 2016. He also told the governor that this issue must not be politicised: ‘Bond notes are just like coupons which will be given to exporters as incentives to bringing money into the country’ (Sunday Mail, 29 May 2016). This incident, reported in a national newspaper, illustrates how a religious official like Magaya can play an intermediary role between the government and the people during Zimbabwe’s economic crisis. Patience, the tutor at the University of Zimbabwe and member of UFIC, said during my interview with her:

I believe that the pastors and prophets should have a say in the politics of the day. They should have a say why because most Zimbabweans are now Christians and if they keep quiet or if they give a silent talk on issue of politics the country will be chaotic. Like the issue of bond notes and people agree and we are not supposed to say anything in the nation. But I think religion should have a say in the politics. Because one way or the other it will affect you somehow, not indirectly but directly.1

Magaya (PHD Ministries) also advised the government to investigate the possibility of utilising the services of entities that deal with corruption, since corruption is one of the major problems tearing the country apart. He shared with the Sunday Mail his recent achievements, which included the fact that his church, PHD Ministries, is investing in a multifaceted hotel in Waterfalls worth 25 million US dollars. Apart from the hotel, the church has also embarked on an ambitious project to construct a church building worth 90 million US dollars that will house conference centers, a shopping mall and an

underground parking lot (Sunday Mail, 29 May 2016). When asked where the money for these investments would come from, Magaya was at pains to point out that he only receives a monthly income of 1 300 US dollars from the congregation and that the money for investments came from outside partners.

The Sunday Mail reported on a prophecy given by Makandiwa in 2015, arguing that it was a way for Makandiwa to offer hope to the next generation. This prophecy was given on 30 August 2015, which was a Sunday. In the prophecy, Makandiwa said: ‘I’m seeing oil coming out of our grounds. Just in case you think I’m guessing, I will tell you the place no one knows about, so you know that in this nation, there is a prophet from God. I was taken by the Spirit of the Lord and we did a survey. You see, when you are taken up in the Spirit and you look down, you begin to see places that were once far away from each other getting closer and closer to each other’ (www.sundaymail.co.zw/prophet-makandiwa-prophesies-oil-reserves-in-zim/). This is an example of how PCC pastors provide hope and furnish warnings to people through prophecies. Such prophecies of hope attract many people and make these churches particularly popular, as I will explain in more details in the following chapters.

As part of his analysis of politics and religion in Zimbabwe in the late 1990s Maxwell (2000:249) suggests that church leadership is far from being just a source of status and prestige; rather, it is both a product and the key source of social, economic and political influence in contemporary Africa. As such, churches like ZAOGA are subject to intense struggles for resources, patrons and clients. But in Zimbabwe many people continue to be skeptical of the miracles performed by these church leaders and prophets. In 2013 the former Reserve Bank Governor, Gideon Gono, came out on national television (ZTV) with ‘Prophets’ Emmanuel Makandiwa and Uebert Angels, countering allegations of illegality with regards to the ‘miracle monies’ that were ‘miraculously’ deposited into congregants’ bank accounts. Gono argued that the conduct of the ‘prophets’ was above board and that the ‘miracles’ were acts of God (www.newzimbabwe. com/news...Gono...prophets... ‘miracle.../news.aspx). Not to be outdone, Prophet Makandiwa reciprocated with a ‘bloodshed prophecy’, warning the MDC-T against steering a social protest after they had threatened to do so (www.newsday.co.zw). Prophet Makandiwa went on to make the prophecy that gold would soon rain in Zimbabwe, just like ‘manna’ had rained from heaven in the Old Testament. This would happen because God heard the cries of Zimbabweans, just as

He did with the Israelites when they escaped from Pharaoh’s Egypt. He urged Zimbabweans to keep on praying for the nation and not to protest (www.newsday.co.zw).

On 15 November 2016 I conducted an interview with Tapuwa (UFIC), a 28-year-old mother with two children who was separated from her husband and is currently living with her parents. I interviewed her at her parents’ home in Borrowdale. She pointed out that the economic situation in Zimbabwe is causing people to enroll for Christian pastoral degrees, because it is the only sector where they can earn money without paying taxes. According to her politicians are also undertaking degrees in Christian Pastoral Studies so that they can rule the country according to the way of the Lord. Patience (ZAOGA), the tutor from the University of Zimbabwe encountered earlier, elaborated further by stating that the church has become more of a training ground for family businesses. She pointed out that everyone in the pastor’s family at ZAOGA is a pastor, an evangelist, a prophet or the head of praise and worship. She even questioned the criteria being used to ordain these people, because an apostle’s wife is automatically an apostle, a prophet’s wife is automatically a prophetess, and so on. She said:

So, I think Pentecostalism is being turned into a family business. I wonder if the titles are sexually transmitted or it’s a business (laughs). So, that it remains in the family circles. We have an aunt as a pastor we have a son as a pastor and we have a daughter as a pastor. That’s my thinking on Pentecostalism. So, I think our country is contributing; look at Pentecostalism in developed countries is not that blooming or popular as it is in the underdeveloped countries. The current situation in Zimbabwe everyone wants things to be well in his life. People will be troubled because there are basic things you can’t live without: food, shelter and clothing. It’s hard, I’m generalizing, but nowadays it’s difficult to see this balanced. So, what happens? You hear someone announcing that I can give you money, I can provide jobs for you if I pray for you, you will be delivered, obvious you will go. As a Christian I believe with the current situation that we have, we need an answer. And there is nowhere in the Bible where it was written that there will be 20 million churches. In the Bible it is stated that there shall come a time where there shall come prophets who will see your

mountain move to this site. Also, in Revelations it is stated in the Bible that there shall come a time where everyone will be worshiping God regardless of different denominations. So, I think we are reaching that point of where Zimbabwe is becoming a Christian nation. That’s my other line of thinking.

3.4 The Relationship between the Expansion of Churches and the Political-