Johane Masowe yeChishanu victims neglected: Focus put on police assault

By Loverage Nhamoyebonde

HARARE – Victims of child and women abuse allegedly perpetrated by the Johane Masowe yeChishanu sect in Budiriro 2 feel that society has brushed them aside and left them to endure the pangs of the trauma that they went through at the hands of their abusers.

A 43 year old woman (name withheld) who is a survivor of gender based violence meted out on her by her husband in the name of religion narrated her tale of abuse.

“I joined Johane Masowe yeChishanu sect led by Madzibaba Nehemiah in 1998 in Budiriro 2. After the death of Madzibaba Nehemiah, a new leadership took over the reins. In 2008 the new doctrine was introduced that forbids members to access education, health and other social services,” she said.

She said the doctrine promoted gender based violence and had a negative impact on the well being of women and children.

“I vividly recalled the day my husband burnt all books and barred our children from attending school. He forcibly took my mobile phone and threw it into a well citing the doctrine that forbids the use of cell phones. I reported the case to the police and he was arrested and slapped with a community service,” she said.

She said that her husband maintained his stance and defied the court order.

“My husband was charged with contempt of court and served three months in prison. After he was released from prison he continued with his abusive behaviour. He sold our television set, radio and other electronic gadgets saying that it was forbidden by the church,” she said.

The woman says: “All hell broke loose when my husband presented our 15 year old daughter to an old man under the operation code named ‘recovery.’

He was responding to the church doctrine which required all men who married women who were not virgins to be appeased through taking young virgin girls as wives. I was angered by the move and I took my daughter and sent her away to stay with my relatives in rural areas so as to protect her.”

All this took place in secrecy as it was covered with a perfect façade of religion and faith. Fear was instilled in the hearts of the victims and they remained silent.

Rungano (not her real name)18, emotionally narrated how her father tried to force her to marry an old man under the heinous “Operation Recovery.”

“Father constantly checked on me whenever taking a bath to ascertain if I was mature for marriage. After he was satisfied that I was mature he took me to a married member of the church who was supposed to be cleansed for marrying a woman who was not a virgin. I managed to escape and went away to stay with my relatives,” said Rungano.

Rungano captured the attention of the media and she was brave enough to speak out but many girls who are also victims are not able to do so and they are suffering in silence.

Another woman (name withheld) who suffered abuse in the hands of her husband said the church doctrine played a crucial role in reinforcing women and child abuse.

“My husband divorced me after I defied the church doctrine. I refused to give up my mobile phone and I forcibly enrolled my child after my husband forced him to drop out of school. My husband became violent and took my child away from me and until to date I am not aware of his whereabouts. I was seen as unfit for the child’s custody as I was labeled a heathen or macharangwanda (rebel),” she said.

When the allegations came to the attention of the Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe (ACCZ), they investigated the issue and recommended the banning of the church.

According to the ACCZ more than 400 children were denied access to education and members were barred from accessing health care and other basic social services.

The findings of the ACCZ’s investigations prompted the organisation to seek legally backed action and visited the church headquarters in Budiriro 2 to enforce the ban.

The action resulted in skirmishes and members of the Zimbabwe Republic Police, journalists and officials from the ACCZ were assaulted. Several members of the church who participated in the violence were arrested and 11 convicts are currently serving a four year jail term.

The allegations of women and child abuse were overshadowed by the violence and the police focused on public violence.

Efforts to get an explanation from the police on whether they have done anything to pursue the allegations of women and child abuse so as to bring perpetrators to book were faced with disappointment.

It is now close to two months while the police’s press and public relations is “going through the questions and seeking the permission of the Commissioner General to respond.”

An explanation on alleged heinous acts committed by members of the church was in the public interest. They wanted an explanation which never came and the victims remained in the custody of their abusers.

Members of the apostolic sect in Zimbabwe are estimated at more than 7 million and women and children constitute a larger percentage. In light of this, an increase in cases of abuse of women and children perpetrated by apostolic sects will have adverse effects on society.

In 2006 ‘Mudzimu Unoyera’, or Holy Spirit cult in Guruve had acquired 130 child followers before the police moved in and arrested joint founders Mai Maria, or Mother Mary, and Enwas Nyanhete, referred to as ‘Baba Josefa’, or Father Joseph. They claimed to be the parents of Girl Jesus, 13, the then cult’s spiritual leader.

Both Mai Maria and Nyanhete have been charged with child abuse and assaulting members of a crack police unit that raided the cult’s premises in Guruve.

The abuse of women and children by faith based organisations is seemingly contagious as many sects are always caught on the wrong side. Several children were denied access to education which is a universal human right.

Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education permanent secretary, Dr. Slyvia Janet Utete Masango said that generally there is no legal framework in place to enforce that every child of school going age be in school.

“The Ministry lays great emphasis on Inclusive Education where no child is denied education on the basis of religious beliefs or poverty. There is no discrimination whatsoever.

“There is also the ‘Second Chance’ route whereby those that dropped out of school at whatever level and for whatever reasons have the opportunity to go back to school and continue from where they left. The envisaged new curriculum alludes to this,” said Dr. Utete-Masango.

Dr. Utete-Masango said that in the case of religious sects the issue has to be addressed at the national level and everyone has to play a part.

“His Excellency has been instrumental in personally engaging and dialogue with most of these religious sects on the importance of education. Thus, through the President’s diplomacy the Johanne Marange Apostolic sect built a state of the art secondary school in Marange for children of their members. So generally this problem is being addressed,” she said

While seeking information on whether the Ministry of Health and Child Care and the Ministry of Women Affairs, Gender and Community Development are reaching out to the victims so as to reintegrate them into the mainstream society, they preferred to maintain a diplomatic stance and they are not keen to talk to the media.

Secretary for Public Service, Labour and Social Welfare, Mr. Ngoni Masoka said that the government of Zimbabwe is a signatory to several regional and international human rights instruments that seek to promote and protect the rights of children.

“We have several measures in place that includes the National Action Plan for Orphans and Vulnerable Children that seeks to enhance safety and protection of children. The first option in support of children is the removal of the child from the abusive environment to safe environments that includes placement in places of safety,” said Masoka.

He further explained that rehabilitation of the children will include access to basic social services such as education, specialist child protection services such as medical support, counseling and psycho social support are also offered to both the child and their caregivers.

The noble initiative failed to rescue Rungano and several others who are in her situation from the hands of their abusers.

ACCZ president, Archbishop Johannes Ndanga said ACCZ is working in collaboration with government departments and non-governmental organisations to eliminate all forms of abuse associated with apostolic churches.

“We are doing awareness campaigns through discussions in churches so that people will be sensitised on women and child abuse. Plans are under way to have a memorandum of understanding with relevant ministries so that we work together to reintegrate survivors of abuse who were exposed to harmful practices in several faith based organisations,” said Archbishop Ndanga.

Archbishop Ndanga said the nation must continue asking God to intervene so that women and children’s rights will be respected.

“We always tell our members that young girls must not be married and only mature women must be married,” he said.