Magaya cucumbers raise eyebrows

By Vasco Chaya

Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries’ leader Walter Magaya last week distributed cucumbers from his farm in the church to demonstrate his farming prowess.

Pictures showing congregants, including government officials such as Tourism and Hospitality Industry deputy minister Anastancia Ndhlovu lifting cucumbers in church went viral on social media with some people referring to them as “anointed cucumbers”. 

Church officials told the Daily News on Sunday that Magaya was just sharing his farm produce with the church as a way of proving that he is a serious farmer.

“Though the majority interpreted the move differently, the cucumbers were not for sale but  . . . . Magaya just shared part of his farm produce with church members,” said one of the church officials.

However, the officials were not at liberty to reveal the exact quantity of cucumbers.

In a previous interview with this publication, Magaya said apart from being a church leader, he is also a successful farmer.

“I am a serious farmer by the way. I have pig, crop and fish farms among others and most of the yields go to charity as we look after thousands of vulnerable members of the society,” he said then.

Apart from farming, Magaya is also into property development through his multi-million dollar company — Planet Africa — which is in the process of building over 45 000 housing units in the country.

“We have 300ha of land in Kwekwe, 910ha in Mutare, 300ha in Bulawayo and 2000ha in Harare.”

However, Magaya recently described 2016 as one of his worst years, punctuated with many trials and tribulations, since he launched his PHD Ministries four years ago.

“It was a tricky year but we have managed to build a prayer mountain, hotel and it was the same year that funny stories came up in the media but still we are going strong,” he said during the annual Night of Turn Around a couple of weeks ago.

“The vision to build a $90 million church this year has been replaced by bigger plans, we bought a bigger place which we are intending to build a primary and secondary school among other facilities, and we are going to build a big and more expensive church. The new land is better than that of Chishawasha.

Responding to allegations of using fraudulent means to acquire land, Magaya said he was clean.

“I did not take anyone’s land, whatever I have done was above the board; I bought land through the correct channels. I am a person who represents people and I should lead by example.

“I did not connive with anyone but I bought land, if you have got money you are allowed to buy land, but all the same I will never touch land which has any connotations behind . . . if you go and ask them right now I returned whatever should be returned if it has some connotations behind,” Magaya said.

“The issue was resolved in a good way, whatever was supposed to be discussed was discussed and whatever was supposed to be returned was returned . . . if we had taken someone’s land, it’s simple, it is said give to Caesar what belongs to Caesar, it’s simple.

“We did not take anyone’s land and I will never do that. I will acquire it lawfully and after all I am a Zimbabwean.” Daily News