A STORM is brewing in ward 22, Binga, where parents and community leaders are demanding the return of Chibila Secondary School to Binga Rural District Council, accusing the Seventh Day Adventist (SDA) Church of “grabbing” the school under controversial circumstances.
At the centre of the dispute are allegations of secrecy, manipulation, religious coercion and the exclusion of the very community that built the school from decision-making processes.
Documents seen by Southern Eye include a 2002 letter from Binga RDC confirming the proposed construction of Chibila Secondary School within council’s jurisdiction, as well as a petition allegedly signed by representatives from 27 out of 31 villages in ward 22 demanding the school’s return to council authority.
Community members insist the school was built through local contributions and external donor support — not by the SDA Church.
“The school belongs to the community,” said one village representative involved in the petition.
“Parents moulded bricks, contributed money and worked tirelessly to establish this school. We do not understand who gave it away because the traditional leadership and the wider community were never consulted.”
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The controversy reportedly erupted in March 2023 after community members allegedly discovered documents indicating that the school had been registered under the SDA Church.
Residents claim the documents were later locked away.
Later, tensions escalated after an SDA Church meeting allegedly convened to discuss the “Rudd Concession” issue allegedly turned into a platform where parents were persuaded to accept the church’s control of the school.
A councillor, who spoke extensively on the matter, said the issue had deeply divided the community.
“As a ward councillor, leading almost everyone in the community, this issue honestly does not sit well with me because it has created divisions and conflict among people,” he said.
“Sometime in 2023 there was an outcry over the SDA Church taking over Chibila Secondary under unclear circumstances. But this school was built by parents, including myself.”
The councillor alleged that the school’s former administration sought donations from various organisations, including the SDA Church, before facilitating its transfer.
He said a Switzerland-based donor, identified by community members as Eugene’s Foundation under Lusulu Foundation, funded the construction of classroom blocks at the school and also assisted other schools in the area.
“That donor did not only assist Chibila Secondary,” the councillor said.
“They also helped Lusulu Secondary and annexes around Lusulu. Two blocks at Chibila were funded through that support.”
He further alleged that after receiving donations, the former headmaster Sisa Hlabangana handed the school to the SDA Church despite no formal agreement of the community.
“The parents saw letters showing that the school was registered under the SDA Church, yet there were no meetings or minutes showing parents had agreed to that,” he said.
Community members further allege that repeated complaints to Binga RDC yielded little progress despite an investigation reportedly being conducted by an RDC official in March this year.
“No action has been communicated to the community since then,” one petitioner said.
Parents and community leaders claim the alleged takeover has had severe consequences for learners and families.
According to documents and testimonies gathered by this publication, school fees allegedly increased from US$40 to US$55 per term following the change in administration, while enrolment reportedly dropped from about 350 learners to 217.
Villagers allege that some parents withdrew their children after failing to cope with rising costs and what they described as religious pressure at the school. Some residents accused the school administration of compelling learners to follow SDA religious practices regardless of their personal beliefs.
Others alleged that community members were sometimes expected to perform school-related work on Sundays — a day many residents regard as their worship day — while access to school premises on Saturdays is reportedly restricted.
Additional allegations include claims that school tenders were being awarded mainly to SDA Church members and that the school development committee (SDC) has been dominated by church loyalists.
The councillor also alleged that attempts were made to silence dissenting voices within the community.
“The community was diplomatically silenced,” he claimed.
“Then pastor — Lovemore Munuka — would first acknowledge that some funds meant for the school had gone missing, but later changed and insisted the school belonged to the church.”
He further alleged that some traditional leaders were influenced to discourage resistance from the community, allegations this publication could not independently verify.
In one meeting involving SDA officials, the councillor said he questioned church representative — Christopher Thebe — about the ownership of the school.
“I asked them who gave them the school because the community was not happy,” he said. “The response was what mattered was registration.”
Despite the growing tensions, community members insist they are not seeking legal confrontation but transparency and dialogue.
“We do not want violence or lawsuits,” one petitioner said.
“We simply want the truth to come out and the school returned to the authority of Binga RDC.”
After questions where sent on May 5 to the West Zimbabwe Conference secretary-general Christopher Thebe, who confirmed receipt of the inquiry, he said the matter had been forwarded to church administration.
In a follow-up response on May 12, the official said key officials were out of Zimbabwe and requested more time while also indicating that there were “glaring gaps” in the allegations raised by the community.
However, after being informed that the concerns originated from the community and that sufficient time had already been granted for comment, he acknowledged the reporter’s position, adding that the concerns were forwarded to relevant offices.
By the time of publication, the church had not yet provided a substantive response to the allegations.