KNIVES are out for Prophet Walter Magaya.
BY STAFF REPORTER
The youthful prophet has become a target of a well-orchestrated vilification campaign on social media that portrays him as a Satanist and criminal.
Sources said Magaya suspected that rival churches were behind the attacks because they were jealous that he was attracting huge crowds as thousands flocked to his ministry to seek deliverance and miracles.
Doctored pictures of Magaya with messages such as “If you want to make money, form a church”, have gone viral on WhatsApp and Facebook as the Prophetic, Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries founder’s accusers try hard to discredit the prophet whose church is raking in millions of dollars.
And reminiscent of the famous Baba Jukwa Facebook character, who claimed to be a Zanu PF insider before the 2013 elections, a phantom page Madhiri A Magaya has emerged and is dishing dirt about him. The page, which now has almost 10 000 likes, describes its aim as “Let there be true light in Zimbabwe — exposing wickedness” with the person or people behind it claiming to be PHD Ministries insiders.
According to the page, Magaya allegedly unleashes police and threatens those working to bring him down, bragging that he was well-connected and nothing would happen to him.
The page, loaded with videos and pictures of alleged scandals Magaya was involved in, alleged the PHD Ministries leader pocketed more than $2,4 million monthly from his guest houses, partnerships, DVDs and anointing oil.
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It claimed some of his actions were linked to Satanism. “At PHD Ministries, one of our agenda at the moment is to deal with the business couple (Upenyu and Blessing Mashangwa of Oceane Perfumes) that sued Prophet Magaya for $2 million,” the Facebook character alleged.
A video on YouTube titled Proof that Prophet Magaya is an Antichrist is not the work of amateurs. It shows whoever is behind the campaign has hired professionals to besmirch Magaya.
The video claims to offer proof Magaya was being used by the devil, citing different examples of signs associated with his church that were used by Satanists.
His alleged cases of adultery, the stampede that killed 11 people in Kwekwe last year, his invitation of secular musicians to his churches and other several issues were cited as evidence that Magaya was a fake prophet.
But the couple, Upenyu and Blessing Mashangwa, who were being heavily mentioned on the page denied any links to the Facebook character although they confirmed some of the facts mentioned there were true.
The couple is currently suing Magaya for $2 million after his alleged prophecy that they would own an airline if they seeded huge sums of money and vehicles, failed to materialise.
The Mashangwas last week made an unprecedented move to respond to the Madhiri A Magaya page by flighting an advert in newspapers denying any links to it.
They, however, confirmed allegations on the page that four police officers driving a private Mercedes-Benz stormed their home and harassed their family members and domestic workers, including their seven-year-old child.
The two also confirmed receiving death threats as alleged by the page. “Yes, I received this message the exact same day Mr Magaya received summons from my lawyers. I can’t confirm this message came from Mr Walter Magaya as it was sent by an unknown number to me, but I can confirm I have received death threats and at one point, my wife and I were almost kidnapped,” Mashangwa said.
Read part of the message allegedly sent to Mashangwa: “You are failing to understand, we will deal with you, your wife and children. You have nowhere to hide; we have the police, reporters and politicians. Who do you think you are in this country to fight the person you are fighting? You will be nothing when we are done with you. You won’t win this war; it’s you who will die. Be warned.”
Mashangwa said reports have since been made at Borrowdale Police Station and police general headquarters internal investigations department.
PHD Ministries spokesperson Admire Mango had promised to respond to questions sent to him at the time of going to the press. His phone then went unreachable.
But a Magaya loyalist, Rogers Chigwadi said all those doubting the prophet and claiming all sorts of things should come to the PHD Ministries to see for themselves that Magaya was being used by God to transform lives.
“People can come and see for themselves. People should go where there are blessings and I am testimony of how the prophet is being used to change lives by God,” he said.
Loyalists have also linked the Facebook page to some United Family International Church (UFIC) members allegedly trying to dislodge Magaya.
Spokesperson of UFIC, Pastor Prime Kufa yesterday said he was not aware of the page and its contents.
“I do not even have knowledge of the Facebook page,” said Kufa. “In any case, I do not follow Magaya’s stories.”
Magaya was also embroiled in another stormy fight with Vapostori churches after claiming that they used marine spirits for their practices.
In his 40-page booklet titled Marine Spirits Part 2, Magaya said the apostolic sects used goblins and spirits from waters and idols.
The apostolic sects have since reacted angrily to Magaya and threatened to expose the prophet for his “evil deeds”.
It could not be ascertained if they were behind the campaign against Magaya.
