Is there any true Christianity left? How the Mnangagwa regime captured the altar and destroyed the opposition

Tendai Ruben Mbofana

There was a time when the pulpit in Zimbabwe stood as an unyielding fortress of moral clarity.

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A sanctuary where truth was declared without fear or favour and where the suffering masses found a voice against tyranny. 

Today, that sacred ground has been desecrated, transformed into a political circus and a stage for state-sponsored propaganda. 

The rapid proliferation of self-appointed, high-profile Pentecostal “prophets” who parade their proximity to political power is not merely a sign of religious decay.

It is a manifestation of a nation’s spiritual and institutional capture. 

These figures, frequently embroiled in staggering corruption allegations and ostentatious displays of ill-gotten wealth, have brazenly hijacked the gospel. 

They step onto the altar not to preach righteousness, justice, or salvation.

But to issue questionable, self-serving “prophesies” tailored strictly to legitimize the ruling elite or launch public, spiritualized threats against anyone who dares to dissent. 

When the house of God is weaponized to shield systemic looting and even prophesy the imminent death of a perceived political opponent, the sanctity of the pulpit is destroyed. 

Confronted by such blatant abuse, one is forced to ask a heartbreaking question: is there really any true Christianity left in Zimbabwe?

What we are witnessing is not an accidental departure from faith, but the deliberate execution of a grand strategy by the President Mnangagwa regime. 

The current administration has mastered the dark art of institutional infiltration, systematically dismantling every pillar that once held power accountable. 

Through a lethal mix of patronage, state coercion, legal engineering, and financial inducement, the regime has captured and rendered impotent the two entities the ordinary citizen trusted most to fight in their corner: the political opposition and the Christian church.

The destruction of the opposition was carried out with calculated precision, exploiting internal vulnerabilities, weaponizing state institutions, and manufacturing proxy leaders to strip the people of any genuine democratic choice. 

Yet, as devastating as the neutralization of the political opposition has been, the capture of the church strikes a far deeper, more existential blow to the soul of the nation. 

The regime recognized that in a deeply religious society, controlling the political space was not enough; it had to control the conscience of the people. 

By dangling mining concessions, luxury vehicles, diplomatic immunities, and land grants before opportunistic clerics, the state successfully bought the silence of some and the active sycophancy of others. 

Entities formed specifically to rally clergy around the leader, alongside celebrity prophets who equate political rulers to divine figures, are the tragic fruits of this grand capture. 

The prophetic voice that once called out the sins of the state has been replaced by a chorus of bought-and-paid-for courtiers who wrap political patronage in the sacred linen of scripture.

True Christianity has always been defined by its unwavering commitment to truth, its defense of the weak, its denunciation of oppression, and its relentless pursuit of justice. 

It is a faith that stands with the brokenhearted, speaks for the voiceless, and holds the powerful to account regardless of the personal cost. 

What dominates Zimbabwe’s public airwaves today is a bastardized, transactional imitation—a gospel of greed that sanctifies suffering and rewards the oppressor. 

When men who claim to hear from God use their platforms to prophesy the death of a perceived political opponent, they cross a treacherous line. 

By using the pulpit to shield those in power, they are not serving Christ—they are serving the regime.

They have substituted the cross for the political feeding trough, trading eternal moral integrity for temporary material indulgence.

It is profoundly sad to reflect on how far the nation has fallen. 

Institutions that were once revered as the ultimate guardians of the people’s hopes—the political movements meant to deliver democratic freedom, and the church meant to be the moral compass and light of society—have been utterly subverted. 

They were trusted to stand as unshakeable pillars against tyranny, to offer refuge to the weary, and to expose the deeds of corruption. 

Instead, through betrayal and co-optation, they have transformed into merchants of darkness. 

They actively participate in the grand deception of the masses, soothing the oppressed with false hopes and spiritualized threats while effectively acting as a human shield for a corrupt, repressive elite. 

In capturing both the altar and the ballot, the regime may have secured its immediate survival. 

Yet, in doing so, it has left a nation spiritually bruised, politically disenfranchised, and searching for a true, untainted light in the midday darkness.

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