Church leadership war turns bloody

POLICE last night fought running battles with congregants at the Apostolic Faith Mission of Africa (AFMA) in Lobengula Extension as a battle for the leadership of the church turned bloody.

A senior pastor, Yalala Mthombeni, was rushed to hospital following clashes between two rival factions vying for ownership of the church.

Scores of church members were left nursing injuries, a majority reportedly suffering bruises.

Armed anti-riot police with dogs cordoned off the area surrounding the church and imposed a curfew after church members allegedly assaulted a police officer.

The clashes left doors, windows and musical instruments at the biggest church building in the country damaged.

Starting Friday, there has been a stand-off between the rival camps, one led by recently-ousted Reverend Tony Tshuma and the other one which is in support of a take-over led by Rev Clement Nyathi.

Justice Nokuthula Moyo of the Bulawayo High Court on Thursday ruled that the Nyathi faction should take charge of the church. The Tshuma faction refused to vacate the church, saying Justice Lawrence Kamocha ruled in their favour last year.

Hundreds of Bible-wielding Nyathi supporters yesterday forced their way into the church premises.

Church members alleged yesterday that Nyathi bussed in supporters from as far as Mhondoro for the confrontation.

"These guys came in five Zupco buses all the way from Harare, Chiredzi and Mhondoro to fight our 90-year-old leader claiming that he imposed himself on the people. The same camp broke away from the original AFMA long back and they now want to come back and take over our church," said one of the members from the Tshuma faction.

"The police had suggested we use the main church while Nyathi uses the hall but at around 5PM, all hell broke loose and they suddenly broke into the church, vandalising doors, windows and all musical instruments."

Pastor Mthombeni is said to have suffered severe injuries, added the member.

"He has since been rushed to hospital and the riot police managed to maintain order by chasing everyone out of the temple."

Nyathi's faction spokesperson Admire Mbovha told The Chronicle that his faction was already celebrating their resounding victory after the Tshuma faction finally gave up. "We got a court order on Friday which places all responsibility of AFMA, its leadership and property under Nyathi. The Tshuma faction tried to resist change but we're happy as he has surrendered," he said.

He said Tshuma fled to South Africa on Friday after learning of the court order and had already surrendered some of the vehicles belonging to the church that he had been using.

Mabhova said Tshuma fled with a Land Rover Discovery.

"Some of our members are on their way back to Harare and Chiredzi as we feel the battle has been won. Tshuma should now vacate the Church's Matsheumhlope home. We also need keys to the vehicles that he surrendered on Friday," said Mabhova.

On Friday, the congregants loyal to ousted overseer, Reverend Tshuma, blocked the deputy sheriff from executing the court order for their eviction.

Justice Moyo on Thursday interdicted the embattled leader of the troubled church and his followers from interfering, visiting or using the church's headquarters building among other church assets.

Rival camps in the acrimonious leadership wrangle of AFMA pitting Reverends Tshuma and Nyathi have since 2013 been locked in a protracted legal battle over the control of the church property and leadership.

On Friday, when The Chronicle visited the church, scores of members loyal to the Nyathi faction were gathered outside the church yard exchanging harsh words with their rivals who were holed up inside after the deputy sheriff had locked all the gates.

Rev Tshuma's son, Joseph, who is also his spokesperson, said they had since engaged their lawyers to apply for rescission of the judgment, arguing that it was fraught with irregularities.

"My surprise is that there's an order that was granted last year by Justice (Lawrence) Kamocha barring Nyathi from acting as overseer and president of the church and interfering with my father's work in the ministry and that order still stands," he said.

Tshuma, recently elected Pelandaba-Mpopoma MP, said the order that the Nyathi camp was granted was different from what they had prayed for in court.

"I smell a rat in this whole fiasco and to me it's clearly contempt of court and our lawyers are looking into that," he said.

Justice Moyo's ruling followed a court application by Rev Nyathi who sought an interdict against Rev Tshuma from controlling church assets. The group wants Tshuma to vacate the church premises including his house in Bulawayo's affluent Matsheumhlope suburb.

According to the judgment, Rev Tshuma is set to lose his luxury car, a Land Rover Discovery among other vehicles bought for him by the church.