MEMBERS of rival Zanu PF camps, commonly referred to as Gamatox and Weevils, last Friday rubbed shoulders as they ostensibly sought divine intervention to end their feud during an all-night crusade organised by Emmanuel Makandiwa’s United Family Interdenominational Church (UFIC) at the National Sports Stadium in Harare.
BY MOSES MATENGA
Dubbed Judgment Night 3, the event — according to the organisers — drew an estimated 150 000 people from all walks of life including politicians and businesspeople from across the region.
Zanu PF has, since the run up to its controversial congress last December, been torn into two distinct camps with the Gamatox faction believed to be linked to ousted former Vice-President Joice Mujuru while Weevils camp is headed by President Robert Mugabe.
The Gamatox elements at the Judgment Night 3 event included former Zanu PF spokesperson Rugare Gumbo and ex-Information deputy minister Bright Matonga.
Gumbo was introduced by UFIC spokesperson Prime Kufa as former Agriculture minister.
Harare Metropolitan minister Miriam Chikukwa, who was previously linked to the Mujuru camp, but now said to be loyal to the Weevils camp graced the occasion alongside Joel Biggie Matiza, who is Zanu PF Mashonaland East provincial chairman.
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Midlands Provincial Affairs minister Jason Machaya and Psychology Maziwisa, Zanu PF MP for Highfield were also present together with Harare East MP Terrence Mukupe. Maziwisa is a member of the church’s media department.
Mukupe and Maziwisa’s political fortunes could be credited to their link to the party national political commissar Saviour Kasukuwere.
Gumbo, who was fired from Zanu PF together with over 140 other party stalwarts including Mujuru for allegedly plotting Mugabe’s downfall, told NewsDay yesterday that he had been invited to the event by the church leadership.
“I was invited. Isn’t it was an interdenominational thing. Otherwise, I have my own church that I go to.”
Several Zanu PF politicians have been sighted at popular prophets’ church gatherings with Home Affairs minister Ignatius Chombo and Women Affairs minister Nyasha Chikwinya regularly attending Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries headed by Walter Magaya while Tourism minister Walter Mzembi features frequently at Makandiwa’s UFIC services.
