BULAWAYO High Court judge Justice Maxwell Munodawafa Takuva yesterday interdicted the embattled Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) of Africa overseer and president reverend Tony Tshuma from demoting or expelling members of a faction challenging his authority.
RICHARD MUPONDE SENIOR COURT REPORTER
The Lobengula headquartered AFM is embroiled in a bitter power wrangle with a faction led by reverend Clement Nyathi challenging Tshuma’s authority and accusing him of having imposed himself as head of the church.
On Tuesday, the Nyathi-led faction made an urgent chamber application at the Bulawayo High Court seeking an interdict barring Tshuma and 25 of his ministers from making any decisions in the dispute until the finalisation of two other cases pending in the higher court.
Tshuma and his 25 ministers were cited as the respondents in the application.
After hearing the arguments of both parties on Tuesday, Justice Takuva reserved judgment, but subsequently delivered it yesterday barring Tshuma and his ministers from making church decisions which involve disputes before the court.
“It is ordered that the respondents are interdicted from making church decisions which involve disputes pending before this court on HC704/14 and HC 580/14 until those matters are finalised.
“The respondents are barred from causing demotions, suspensions and or expulsions of the first applicant’s (Nyathi) members pending the final determination of HC704/14 and Hc580/14,” ordered Justice Takuva.
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The divisions have reached boiling point and death threats are reportedly being traded between the two warring camps.
The disenchanted group has accused Tshuma of fraudulently taking over the reins of the church in 2008 and abusing church funds.
He is also being accused of threatening those against his leadership with either death or expulsion.
The church has been plagued by disaffection caused by alleged ethnic wars between Ndebele-speaking worshippers and their Shona-speaking counterparts, an allegation Tshuma’s group has dismissed in the past.
