THE ruling Zanu PF party has ordered its supporters in Harare to attend controversial prophet Passion Java’s religious event dubbed Night of Wonders slated for today at the National Sports Stadium.
According to messages shared on Zanu PF social media platforms, all Harare district structures should mobilise party supporters to attend the event.
When Java came up with the idea of the gathering he declared that he would attract a crowd large enough to jam the giant 60 000-seater stadium.
A message circulating in Harare quotes the Zanu PF Harare Zone co-ordinator Joshua Gore instructing the party’s district chairpersons to mobilise supporters to attend the event without fail.
“All district chairpersons in Zone 6 are required to mobilise all members (munhu wese hake) to attend the church programme being hosted by Evangelist Passion Java,” he said in the notice.
Zanu PF’s Zone 6 covers four constituencies of Mbare, Southerton, Sunningdale and Harare South as well as some parts of Hatfield and Waterfalls.
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The party’s secretary for transport in the area, Nico Hamadziripi confirmed to NewsDay that the party was mobilising its supporters to attend Java’s event.
“I can confirm that I have received a text to that effect and as a secretary for transport, I am told the buses will be there. The district chairperson can come to collect the buses at Stoddart Hall in Mbare.
“Java is an active party cadre and we should support him,” he said.
Java was not answering his mobile phone and did not respond to text messages sent to him yesterday.
However, posting on his official Facebook page on the event, the controversial preacher said: “Whether you have HIV, you need money or you have a broken leg, come to Night of Wonders,” he said.
The maverick self-styled prophet vowed not to preach again if he does not fill the gigantic sports stadium.
Investigations by NewsDay also revealed that buses to carry Zanu PF supporters have been mobilised across all the country’s 10 provinces.
“Yes we were hired to ferry people from Mutare for the church service slated for National Sports Stadium,” said one transport operator who declined to be named.
Buses across the city are now adorned with advertisements promoting the event, as Java pulled out all the stops ahead of the event to fill up the country’s biggest stadium.
The brightly coloured advertisements feature Java, bathed in a cosmic light, with the bold text Night of Wonders emblazoned across the side of a bus.
The unconventional preacher caused quite a stir with his attention-grabbing antics at Zanu PF rallies during President Emmerson Mnangagwa’s re-election campaigns last year.
During one event held at Robert Mugabe Square in Harare, Java chanted the slogan “Mbavha4ED” in front of Mnangagwa.
To many, Java passes as a rubble rouser of note on social media with an unfiltered tongue and unapologetic for abusing his closeness to the President with whom he had been pictured having breakfast and taking photos.