Mayor Solomon Mguni stormed out of an interdenominational Cyclone Idai memorial prayer meeting held here on Sunday after one of the preachers poured scorn on Zanu PF\u2019s rivals.<\/p>\n
The youthful mayor felt offended by pastor Frank Kunda after he showered praises on President Emmerson Mnangagwa, while attacking opposition parties for inviting sanctions in the country \u2014 thus politicising the event.<\/p>\n
The event, held at Harvest House International Church\u2019s headquarters \u2014 was in line with Mnangagwa\u2019s declaration of two days of national mourning for more than 300 people who lost their lives after Cyclone Idai struck Chimanimani in Manicaland, as well as parts of Masvingo.<\/p>\n
The mayor who was seated with his delegation right on the front chairs, surprised many when he led the walk out.
\nWard one councillor, Mlandu Ncube who also attended the event said Kunda described Mnangagwa as God-sent.<\/p>\n
\u201cPastor Kunda said Mnangagwa was chosen by God and he is aware of the opposition parties who are enemies of the State and God. Opposition parties will tow the line even if they don\u2019t want,\u201d Ncube told the Daily News.
\n\u201cThat was unexpected from a senior pastor like him; Imagine he turned the emotional Sunday service into a Zanu PF praise rally.
\n\u201cHe praised Mnangagwa for \u2018his visionary leadership and foresight\u2019 which praise offended His Worship the mayor of the City of Bulawayo, Mguni and is delegation of seven councillors,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n
The mayor confirmed the incident saying it was unnecessary for a respectable man of God to politicise an interdenominational prayer event, worse coming on the background of hundreds having lost their lives in the recent deadly Cyclone Idai.
\n\u201cThe behaviour offends against the spirit of unity in diversity in the city and more particularly in that we had been invited to pray for victims of Cyclone Idai. There was, with respect, no need to politicise the process.<\/p>\n
\u201cIt was a call to duty. It was a prayer service for the metropolitan province in view of the declaration of two days of mourning by Mnangagwa. People must distinguish a political party business from a government function,\u201d said Mguni.<\/p>\n
Kunda refused to comment, referring this reporter to the Harvest House Church\u2019s founding leader, bishop Colin Nyathi.
\n\u201cYou will have to phone my senior pastor Nyathi, I am not empowered to speak to the media,\u201d he said.
\nNyathi could not be reached for comment.<\/p>\n
Chimanimani district in Manicaland was where Cyclone Idai last hit with intensity before blowing itself out.
\nAt least 300 people are thought to have died as a result of the cyclone with latest official figures revealing hundreds more injured and up to 5 000 displaced.<\/p>\n
Chimanimani district remains one of the least accessible with many roads completely wiped away for several kilometres.
\nDestruction in the region is on a huge scale and a lack of safe drinking water remains an issue, with many water pipes having been blown away.<\/p>\n
M\u00e9decins Sans Fronti\u00e8res (MSF)\u2019 team finally made access into the district on Thursday last week despite the heavy rock fall blocking roads and bridges having been completely washed away.<\/p>\n
Many in the area have lost their homes and livelihoods as entire sections of towns were destroyed.
\nIn an effort to rescue those affected, volunteer pilots, the armed forces of South Africa and Tanzania and international aid agencies on Thursday stepped up their activity in the areas.<\/p>\n
The United States government also announced its military would join the effort while Britain has flown in tents and rescue kits as well as pledging \u00a312m (\u20ac14m) for the humanitarian mission being mounted to feed and house hundreds of thousands who are now homeless.<\/p>\n
MSF will also continue to provide assistance in the three countries.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Mayor Solomon Mguni stormed out of an interdenominational Cyclone Idai memorial prayer meeting held here on Sunday after one of the preachers poured scorn on Zanu PF\u2019s rivals. The youthful mayor felt offended by pastor Frank Kunda after he showered praises on President Emmerson Mnangagwa, while attacking opposition parties for inviting sanctions in the country […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":2269,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3,12],"tags":[487,529,228,506,461,31],"class_list":{"0":"post-6344","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-all-news","8":"category-policy","9":"tag-cyclone","10":"tag-destruction","11":"tag-flood-victims","12":"tag-injury","13":"tag-mayor","14":"tag-mnangagwa"},"yoast_head":"\n