DISGRUNTLEMENT is mounting within the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church which is accused of being used as the political ground by ZANU PF benefactor Kudakwashe Tagwirei.
Tagwirei, a member of the SDA church, has been donating goods to several churches where political figures have appeared and delivered speeches which some disgruntled members of the church argue is political.
Renowned lawyer Thabani Mpofu, who is an ardent SDA church member is up in arms with the leadership of the institution for allowing Minister of Sports and Culture Anselem Sanyatwe to make political utterances in the church.
Mpofu through his lawyer, Beatrice Mtetwa, in a letter of complaint to the church leadership, argues that this is in violation of the SDA statutes.
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"We have since perused the Church's various governance documents in an endeavour to understand our client's grave dismay at the use of the pulpit for this purpose and are satisfied that the perverse and degenerate conduct and utterances showcased on this occasion does not aid the SDA church in its mission and the event tarnishes this well regarded church and reduces it to a political tool.
"Our client is extremely concerned by what he considers to be the desecration of the SDA pulpit particularly on the holy Sabbath of the Lord. It does not help matters that this unblushing blasphemy occurred during an evangelical campaign and would have served to reduce the SDA Church in the eyes of the converts to a fly by night outfit prepared to append itself to political fortune," said Mpofu.
Mpofu's grievances stem from Sanyatwe's utterances at an event that was organised by Tagwirei in Inyanga, where he said ZANU PF would rule Zimbabwe indefinitely.
This, according to Mpofu is a desecration of the SDA accusing the senior pastors of the church of being complicit.
"The fact that this unthinkable irregularity was witnessed by the ZEUC and EZC presidents, themselves guardians of the pulpit and who failed to take corrective action in the face of the desecration and have still not done anything to date; has left our client completely puzzled. He cannot wrap his head round why his church could countenance the de-spiritualizing of the spiritual.
"Our client contends that the misuse of the SDA pulpit on the holy Sabbath of the Lord is a violation and negation of the SID Working Policy, the ZEUC Constitution, the EZC Constitution, the SDA Church Manual as well the Holy Scriptures to whose authority the church unerringly yields," added Mpofu.
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Tagwirei who was recently elevated to ZANU PF's Central Committee, is rumoured to be eyeing for the country's presidency. Tagwirei has neither publicly denied nor confirmed the reported ambitions.
His proximity to the SDA, ruling ZANU PF leadership and the donations to the institutions of the church have reportedly divided the church.
Mpofu has demanded an apology from the presidents of the SDA and to distance itself from the political affiliations.
"A formal, sincere, and documented apology from both presidents addressed not only to him but also to the entire church constituency due to their failure to fulfil their responsibilities.
"A firm, solemn and unconditional undertaking that this desecration of the pulpit will never again be countenanced by the church. A letter to the church constituency, restating the nature of the conduct that will not be tolerated on the SDA pulpit.
"That the leadership of the church immediately stops associating itself with the personal and political interests of its membership. That the two presidents show cause why they should remain in office," he said.
