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Chamisa's lawyer threatens legal action over SDA pulpit 'desecration'
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Prominent lawyer Advocate Thabani Mpofu has demanded a formal apology and disciplinary action from the leadership of the Seventh-day Adventist Church in Zimbabwe following an incident he has described as a "desecration of the pulpit" during an evangelistic campaign held in Nyanga on June 14, 2025.
Through his lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa, Mpofu addressed a strongly worded letter to the Zimbabwe East Union Conference (ZEUC) and the East Zimbabwe Conference (EZC), accusing the church of allowing its sacred platform to be used for partisan political propaganda. The incident occurred during the "Operation Macedonia" campaign, when businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei reportedly invited ZANU-PF politician and former army general Anselem Sanyatwe to speak from the pulpit.
According to Mpofu, Sanyatwe used the pulpit to promote ZANU-PF, declaring the party would rule "until donkeys grow horns" and mocking those who had previously criticised his political declarations, which included Advocate Mpofu himself during Sanyatwe's military tenure. Mpofu's complaint emphasises that the event took place on a Sabbath and during a spiritual campaign, further intensifying what he believes is an unacceptable politicisation of the church's spiritual mission.
The letter argues that both ZEUC President Mr Musara and EZC President Mr Timuri, who were present at the time, failed to uphold the church's policies and moral responsibilities by not intervening or issuing any form of corrective response after the incident. Mpofu considers their inaction to be a breach of the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division (SID) Working Policy, the ZEUC and EZC Constitutions, and the SDA Church Manual. He maintains that allowing unauthorised and politically charged remarks from the pulpit violated longstanding doctrines that prohibit the use of the church platform for political or personal agendas.
Mpofu has called for a formal and sincere apology from the two presidents addressed to him and to the broader church community. He is also demanding an explicit reaffirmation from the SDA leadership that the pulpit will never again be used for political purposes. In addition, he has urged the church to immediately disassociate itself from political interests within its membership and to require both presidents to justify why they should remain in office after allegedly failing in their duties.
In the event of non-compliance, Mpofu has indicated his intention to pursue legal action against the church as well as Messrs Musara and Timuri in their personal capacities. He also plans to involve the SDA Church's global structures, including the SID and the General Conference, to ensure accountability and oversight.
The incident has caused widespread concern among members of the Adventist community in Zimbabwe, many of whom view the pulpit as sacred and apolitical. As of now, the SDA Church leadership has not issued a public response to Mpofu's letter.
Through his lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa, Mpofu addressed a strongly worded letter to the Zimbabwe East Union Conference (ZEUC) and the East Zimbabwe Conference (EZC), accusing the church of allowing its sacred platform to be used for partisan political propaganda. The incident occurred during the "Operation Macedonia" campaign, when businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei reportedly invited ZANU-PF politician and former army general Anselem Sanyatwe to speak from the pulpit.
According to Mpofu, Sanyatwe used the pulpit to promote ZANU-PF, declaring the party would rule "until donkeys grow horns" and mocking those who had previously criticised his political declarations, which included Advocate Mpofu himself during Sanyatwe's military tenure. Mpofu's complaint emphasises that the event took place on a Sabbath and during a spiritual campaign, further intensifying what he believes is an unacceptable politicisation of the church's spiritual mission.
The letter argues that both ZEUC President Mr Musara and EZC President Mr Timuri, who were present at the time, failed to uphold the church's policies and moral responsibilities by not intervening or issuing any form of corrective response after the incident. Mpofu considers their inaction to be a breach of the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division (SID) Working Policy, the ZEUC and EZC Constitutions, and the SDA Church Manual. He maintains that allowing unauthorised and politically charged remarks from the pulpit violated longstanding doctrines that prohibit the use of the church platform for political or personal agendas.
Mpofu has called for a formal and sincere apology from the two presidents addressed to him and to the broader church community. He is also demanding an explicit reaffirmation from the SDA leadership that the pulpit will never again be used for political purposes. In addition, he has urged the church to immediately disassociate itself from political interests within its membership and to require both presidents to justify why they should remain in office after allegedly failing in their duties.
In the event of non-compliance, Mpofu has indicated his intention to pursue legal action against the church as well as Messrs Musara and Timuri in their personal capacities. He also plans to involve the SDA Church's global structures, including the SID and the General Conference, to ensure accountability and oversight.
The incident has caused widespread concern among members of the Adventist community in Zimbabwe, many of whom view the pulpit as sacred and apolitical. As of now, the SDA Church leadership has not issued a public response to Mpofu's letter.
Source - byo24news
