A Critical Evaluation of Bishop Ancelimo Magaya’s Resistance to Zanu-PFism in Zimbabwe

Abstract

Zanu-PFism in the second regime has maintained its vindictiveness and manipulates some religious leaders, especially prosperity gospel preachers, into becoming the puppets of the ruling party. Other religious leaders, like Bishop Ancelimo Magaya, have resisted Zanu-PFism in both the first and the second republics, and was victimised leading into the division of the Christian community and the electorate. This chapter discusses the consistency in Bishop Magaya’s resistance of Zanu-PFism and its tactics, and the theological he maintains from his biblical studies on the relationship between politics and religion. The chapter used critical discourse analysis from published information (2013–2023) in both academic articles and newspaper stories. The study found that Magaya values the identity and dignity of the human person. He has resisted the oppression of the poor and dismembered citizens, to the extent of calling for the resignation of former President Mugabe for torture, death, and the disappearance of human rights defenders. Magaya attempts to convert the corruption, violence, factionalism, poverty, and hate in Zanu-PFism into the ethical principles of love, mercy, and justice. Conclusively, Magaya’s definitive model of the church’s mission contradicts Zanu-PFism, due to its display of godliness and holiness, through his willingness to die for the freedom of the disenfranchised masses. This study has implications for the training of principled church leaders who can resist oppression, injustice, and corruption for the liberation of the whole nation of Zimbabwe.