Mugodhi not leader of Mugodhi church, says High Court

High Court Judge Justice Siyabona Musithu has ruled that Washington Mugodhi is not the leader of the Mugodhi Apostolic Faith Church (MAFC), bringing an end to a contentious leadership dispute within the church.

The court has reaffirmed Aaron Munodawafa as the rightful bishop of MAFC, overturning the recent appointment of Mugodhi as leader.

The judgment, dated August 14, declared that Munodawafa is the legitimate bishop according to the church's constitution, which specifies that the deputy bishop assumes leadership upon the death of the bishop.

Mugodhi's appointment as bishop was deemed unconstitutional, and all actions taken by him in that capacity have been nullified.

The dispute traces back to July 2017, when Bishop Tadeu Mugodhi, while battling cancer, unsuccessfully attempted to amend the church's succession clause to favor his son as the next leader. Despite his efforts, the constitution, which had been finalized in 2012, remained unchanged.

Following Tadeu's death, a dispute arose between the Munodawafa faction and the Washington Mugodhi faction, leading to factionalism and violence within the church.

Munodawafa, who is advanced in age, was sidelined, and his faction faced denial of access to church properties and violent clashes with Mugodhi's supporters.

The court's ruling is expected to resolve these issues and restore order within the church.