Chronicle (Zimbabwe)

Grade 7 pupil sets up church, mass hysteria ensues at school

- Leonard Ncube Victoria Falls Reporter Sukulwenko­si Dube-Matutu Plumtree Correspond­ent

CHRIST Authority Ministries in Victoria Falls has said it is investigat­ing how a Grade Seven pupil at Monde Primary School where eight girls fainted under unclear circumstan­ces ended up starting a church with a similar name at the school.

All the pupils who allegedly fainted last week at the primary school just outside the resort town were holding a “church” meeting in preparatio­n for an all-night prayer when the incident occurred.

A Grade Seven pupil allegedly founded the church and named it Christ Authority Ministries before recruiting other pupils from the school and held services without the knowledge of teachers and parents.

Christ Authority Ministries of Victoria Falls has since distanced itself from the girl’s activities and is keen to establish how she ended up using the same name at the school.

It is alleged that after forming the church, the girl assumed the position of bishop and other pupils were given positions: pastors, elders, and praise and worship representa­tives, among others.

All those who became members fainted on Monday soon after lunch at a meeting they had organised.

Mr Valentine Maphosa, who is founder of Christ Authority Ministries, said they were not happy that their church’s name had been dragged into the mud.

“We are not aware of any Christ Authority Ministries church besides ours,” said Mr Maphosa.

“We were shocked when we read the story because we don’t have a branch or members in Monde. We started this church in 2013 and we have four branches-here in Victoria Falls, Sizinda, Chisuma and Hwange.

“We are going to investigat­e as a church to get to the bottom of it. These girls could really be used by Satanists or could have been sent by some enemies to deliberate­ly tarnish our image as a church.”

Pastor Shelton Sibanda from the same church said they were going to engage the school and community to establish how the girl ended up using the church’s name.

Parents have called for a cleansing ceremony at the school. Pastors from various denominati­ons teamed up for a prayer session on Wednesday last week at the school.

Some parents suspect the girl was being used by satanists to initiate other pupils into their world. — @ncubeleon. A 74-YEAR-OLD man from Mangwe and his 30-yearold daughter-in-law died in a Bulawayo hospital after they were axed by the man’s grandson who is on the run.

Jonathan Ncube (23), who is from Mhlotshana Village in Empandeni Ward, attacked Leonard Ncube and his aunt Sibukile Mpofu a month ago, leaving them unconsciou­s. The two later died while admitted at the United Bulawayo Hospitals Intensive Care Unit.

Headman Zibuyeni of Mhlotshana Village said the old man died last Friday while Mpofu died two weeks ago.

“We received news on Friday that Ncube had died after a vicious attack by his grandson which occurred a month ago. Mpofu died about two weeks ago and we have already buried her. Preparatio­ns are now

 ??  ?? Ms Rejoice Kunyiswa, an urban farmer who is expecting 1, 5 tonnes from her pieace of land shows off the fruits of labour in Cowdray Park Bulawayo, yesterday. Some urban farmers are expecting bumper harvests like Ms Kunyiswa. However, others have been...
Ms Rejoice Kunyiswa, an urban farmer who is expecting 1, 5 tonnes from her pieace of land shows off the fruits of labour in Cowdray Park Bulawayo, yesterday. Some urban farmers are expecting bumper harvests like Ms Kunyiswa. However, others have been...

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