Apostolic sect playing crucial role in curbing cholera outbreak
THE apostolic sect in Zimbabwe is playing a crucial role in combating the current cholera outbreak leveraging the drive on its vast network of affiliates to educate millions on crucial hygienic practices, Council for Churches in Africa (CCA) president Rocky Moyo has said.
In an interview with NewsDay on the sidelines of a ceremony to present Zanu PF praise singer and leader of Johanne of the Fifth of Africa Archbishop Andby Makururu with an honorary doctorate in Harare, Moyo said the organisation was training health ambassadors on peer-topeer engagement with the communities in efforts to curb the cholera outbreak.
Makururu was honoured on Saturday at a colourful event in Harare attended by Dr David Molapo from Logos University who flew all the way from the United States to present the doctorate.
The honour was bestowed on Makururu for his philanthropic works and spreading Christian values across Zimbabwe.
He was also honoured with an honorary doctorate by Maxlus Christian University in South Africa three months ago.
Moyo said: “So this is what we are doing with the Health ministry in all provinces. We work hand-in-hand with them. We go straight to our affiliates. We don’t look for people, we have nearly seven million memberships here in Zimbabwe. We go to our churches and teach them from there with the Ministry of Health.”
He said the CCA also facilitated partnerships with non-governmental organisations, further bolstering its outreach efforts.
Meanwhile, Molapo said churches should not solely focus on preparing individuals for the afterlife but equip them with practical skills and leadership training to contribute meaningfully to society.
“The churches have been so quiet, in your country there is an issue of unemployment, cholera and other things. So we believe that the language of industrial revolution is collaboration, and we are bringing that language straight into the church.
“The church cannot only prepare people for heaven but it must also prepare people to live and add a meaningful contribution in society. So we are awarding degrees in leadership.
“In Africa, we have a leadership bankruptcy; we feel it’s about time the churches take their rightful position to lift up the people in that country financially, spiritually and emotionally.”
Makururu said he would remain humble.
“We want to build a church from Zimbabwe which speaks about this country and is alive to growth and I want to be party of the leaders,” he said.