Mugabe warns of false prophets

Zimbabweans should be wary of deceptive preachers who use the Church to fleece congregants, President Mugabe has said.

Speaking at the burial of his nephew, Takudzwa Wesley Goronga in Marondera yesterday, the President said some churches were luring huge crowds for monetary gain.

Goronga (20) died at Monash University in South Africa under mysterious circumstances.

His body was discovered in his room.

"Kunamata kuzvipira isu nemoyo yedu yese kuna Mwari. Chatinochema nacho ndechekuti vamwe vavakungounganidza vanhu vachiti ehe ndezvekwaMwari izvo zvisiri zvekwaMwari zviri zvekwa mari," said Mugabe.

"Vamwe vari kuitira Mwari, capital M, W, A, R, I. Ko 'W' wamazobvisa apa mabvisirei? Ini ndinoenda kumaestablished churches. Ndosaka ndisingamhanyire zvichechi zvemazuva ano izvi. Hanzi shevedzai nhingi pano. Anotozadza vanhu mustadium ehe."

"Vakawanda vanomhanya vachida kuponeswa. Vanenge vachiti tinoponeswa asi mava mushure, chokwadi chichavapo chekuti uri pachokwadi here iwewe, wakadarowo?"

President Mugabe said the Church should be exemplary and partner Government in nation-building.

"Ndo pandinoti ipapo pova peduwo ka. Ndosaka ndichiti ngakuve nekubatana kwevafundisi nevatungamiri venyika. The State and the Church should be partners.

"The spiritual side and then the temporal side, where the body requires to be nourished and the mind requires to be nourished."

He said Goronga's death had hit his family hard.

He urged parents who educate their children outside Zimbabwe to be wary of the associated risks.

"Takudzwa nhasi watipa mubvunzo watisingagone kudaira. You have set us a real, real problem, not just a psychological problem but a burden that we have yet to share.

"We have yet to establish what happened, what happened to you. What God proposes, he disposes.

"Hongu tinoda kuti vana vaende kumauniversities asiri emuno, asi mauniversities akawanda muno, good universities, some of them still growing, but we are growing them and they will come up to equal the University of Zimbabwe and the National University of Science and Technology, which are the top two.

"Waita shungu yekuti mwana aendewo kune imwe environment, ipapo panenge pachidawo kuti uve newamwewo vanokuita advise. Vakaenda vari group, the better. Kana vachienda kuuniversity dzine mbiri yekusabata mastudents, kuvapa mazano emagariro avo, sekuCapetown, isu tinozeza kuvatumira vana ikoko.

"Kumwe ikoko vana vanoita zvemadrugs, kuputa. Vamwe vanoita musikanzwa yekusateerera vanababa. Taita masuicide akawanda."

The burial was attended by Government ministers Sydney Sekeremayi, Walter Chidhawa, Sylvester Nguni, Simbaneuta Mudarikwa and Chris Mushohwe.

Zimbabwe Defence Forces General Constantine Chiwenga, Zimbabwe Prisons and Correctional Services Commissioner-General Paradzayi Zimondi and senior Government officials were also present.