Kuda Tagwirei’s Political Rise Sparks Division Within SDA Church
Businessman Kudakwashe Tagwirei’s potential appointment to a position in the country’s presidium has reportedly caused divisions within the Seventh-day Adventist (SDA) Church, where he is an influential member.
ZANU PF’s Harare Province recently recommended that Tagwirei be co-opted into the party’s Central Committee.
Tagwirei is widely believed to be President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s preferred successor, ahead of Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga.
A group of disgruntled members recently petitioned the SDA Church’s global headquarters, the General Conference, demanding the revocation of a Global Award of Excellence that was awarded to Tagwirei. They expressed discomfort with his involvement in ZANU PF politics.
The petition was also sent to the Zimbabwe Union Conference, the Southern Africa-Indian Ocean Division (SID), and the 62nd General Conference Session.
Tagwirei became the first Black person to receive the Global Award of Excellence from the General Conference of the SDA Church. He was conferred with the award last month at Solusi University.
However, some SDA Church leaders claimed the petition was malicious and intended to discredit the businessman.
In a statement, Heather Dube from City Centre Church said those opposing Tagwirei were frustrated because they had failed to secure financial support from him. Said Dube:
It is crucial to recognise that since Mr Tagwirei entered the mainstream political arena, the intensity of these allegations has significantly increased.
This organised campaign is rooted in frustration; these detractors were unable to secure financial backing from Tagwirei for their own agendas, prompting them to resort to character assassination.
More: NewsDay
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