×
NewsDay

AMH is an independent media house free from political ties or outside influence. We have four newspapers: The Zimbabwe Independent, a business weekly published every Friday, The Standard, a weekly published every Sunday, and Southern and NewsDay, our daily newspapers. Each has an online edition.

Miracle baby claims dubious — DPM

News
DEPUTY Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara yesterday once again castigated the concept of so-called miracles allegedly being performed by Zimbabwe’s newfound prophets and singled out the “three-day baby” miracle as “dubious”.

DEPUTY Prime Minister Arthur Mutambara yesterday once again castigated the concept of so-called miracles allegedly being performed by Zimbabwe’s newfound prophets and singled out the “three-day baby” miracle as “dubious”.

REPORT BY VENERANDA LANGA The DPM was responding to a question by Mbire MP Paul Mazikana who asked him if recent events in Zimbabwe where there were claims that prophets had caused the conceiving and delivery of a baby within three days, could be considered a tourist attraction.

Recently, Zimbabwe has been awash with claims that United Family Interdenominational Church leader Emmanuel Makandiwa had performed a miracle on a woman who got pregnant and delivered a baby within three days.

“If you want to talk about religious, cultural and historical tourism – all I can say is we have better things to show in Zimbabwe than miracle babies or money,” Mutambara said.

“We have our own spiritual attractions like Mbuya Nehanda and national shrines like Great Zimbabwe and Matopos to show and the concept of religious organisations who produce miracle babies and miracle money as tourist attractions is dubious,” he said.

Meanwhile, Mutambara said the principals in the Government of National Unity will next week meet to deal with the issue of chiefs who were accused of partisanship in the governance of their subjects. He was responding to questions by Nyanga South MP Willard Chimbetete and Makoni West MP Webber Chinyadza who wanted to know government policy on chiefs who fired headmen because they supported MDC or refused to supply names of MDC supporters so that they could be dealt with. “Our policy which has been reinforced in the new draft constitution is that our chiefs should not be partisan. One is a chief for all political parties and churches and we have come out clear that chiefs and their institutions should be above party politics. “The three principals are going to have a meeting with leaders of the chief’s council on that subject, where we are saying we have reservations about chiefs identifying with political parties and forcing people to vote for a certain political party,” he added.