'Ndanga instigated Masowe violence'

Controversial religious cleric Johannes Ndanga dared the Budiriro apostolic sect members to "retaliate if they are attacked by state agents" in a challenge that sparked the attack on police last week, The Zimbabwe Mail reported.

Ndanga, the Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe (ACCZ) executive president, openly bragged about state-sanctioned viciousness in his address before the orgy of violence that left six people, including a journalist, fighting for their lives at a government hospital in Harare on Friday.

"So, I am saying you have not been banned from praying, but you cannot congregate anywhere and you will either be arrested or beaten up. It is allowed and you are free to retaliate if you think you are able," Ndanga said moments before the violence broke out.

Police details, including the officer commanding Budiriro police station identified as Assistant Inspector Chishiri, stood bemused and nodding their heads as Ndanga courted violence.

But Ndanga Sunday denied instigating the violence.

"I could not have caused the violence outbreak because when we arrived there was already tension and other journalists had been threatened the night before. My comments were meant to dissuade them from claiming to be a government or law unto themselves," Ndanga told The Zimbabwe Mail yesterday. "I said if they had the power and did not respect the lawful institutions in the country like the police, then they would retaliate. These are not children, but grown up people who understand and did not need to be incited by me to attack journalists and the police. Some of the victims of the abuses at the sect have actually sneaked out of the country."

The Johanne Masowe eChishanu sect based in Budiriro stood accused of child and women abuses as well as banning a plethora of ordinary activities and ownership of property by its members.

The sect led by one Ishmael Mufani, well known as Madzibaba Ishmael, turned on the police and a delegation led by Ndanga, in an ill-fated attempt to ban the sect from gathering.

Ndanga was unavailable for comment as his mobile phone went unanswered Sunday.

Hundreds of congregants turned violent and armed with their "staffs" attacked the police while baying for Ndanga's blood.

However, Ndanga who was escorted by 20 riot police, escaped death by a whisker in a movie-style-fashion after his aide managed to take him to safety, but his colleagues and some members of the police's crack riot unit were not so lucky.

The visibly agitated apostolic sect members known for their sheepish behaviour chanted war-like songs accusing Ndanga and the police of defiling their holy shrine and belittling God.

"You are only saying things that suit you. We know only one President Robert Mugabe and we will only listen to him," came the angry interjections as Ndanga announced his decision. The congregants led by men then burst into a war-cry; "Humambo hwemapfumo neropa, humambo hwemapfumo neropa (the Crown of blood and spears). We want Ndanga, we want to know if Mugabe is aware of this," they shouted.

An initially unfazed Ndanga tried hard to conclude his speech.

"We have evidence that you have forced even serving members of the police to leave their jobs because you claim it is Satanic and you forced them to leave their jobs. But God set up governments and we can say we have the power to go around beating you up because we have the power to do that," said Ndanga before declaring that the leader of the sect would be summoned to court.

By yesterday unconfirmed reports claimed that at least 25 members of the sect had been picked up by police and state agents. National police spokesperson Charity Charamba meanwhile told state media that the police would hunt down the violence perpetrators.

She was also unavailable for comment Sunday night.