By Agencies
Prominent opposition politician and constitutional lawyer Fadzayi Mahere has publicly ridiculed Harare preacher Apostle Rodney Chipoyera after the cleric declared that public criticism or correction of President Emmerson Mnangagwa is “demonic.”
Speaking during a church service, Chipoyera—the founder and leader of Kingdom Prosperity Ministries—labeled President Mnangagwa the “National Father of Zimbabwe.” He argued that publicly rebuking or challenging the Head of State violates spiritual protocols, asserting that criticizing divinely recognized authority brings a spiritual curse upon the nation.
“Criticizing the President, speaking against the National Father, is demonic,” Chipoyera told his congregation. “You do not publicly correct a father. In the spiritual realm, that opens doors to destruction.”
The comments quickly triggered widespread debate across Zimbabwean political and social media space, drawing a sharp, sarcastic rebuke from Mahere.
Taking to social media, Mahere mocked the preacher’s theological defense of executive power, referencing a controversial past incident involving Chipoyera and high-end vehicles.
“Those cars are now working,” Mahere quipped, invoking a widely circulated phrase previously linked to Chipoyera’s ministry during public testimonies about miraculous wealth, luxury vehicles, and material prosperity.
Mahere argued that Chipoyera’s assertions conflate religious deference with constitutional rights. As a legal practitioner, she emphasized that Zimbabwe’s 2013 Constitution guarantees freedom of expression, public accountability, and the right of citizens to hold elected officials to account.
“Holding elected leaders accountable is not a crime, nor is it demonic,” legal analysts noted following the exchange. “Under a constitutional democracy, the President is a public servant accountable to the electorate, not an unquestionable monarch protected by religious dogma.”
Chipoyera’s statement comes amidst heightened political tension in Zimbabwe, where clergymen affiliated with the ruling establishment frequently frame state leadership through a theological lens. Groups such as Pastors 4ED (Economic Development) have consistently drawn fire from civic leaders for using the pulpit to shield government officials from public scrutiny over economic hardship, corruption, and governance failures.
