V.P. Mujuru asks mapostori sect to pray for victory in elections

By Tererai Karimakwenda
27 September 2005

We received a surprising report that at the end of August vice president Joyce Mujuru appealed to the Mapostori religious sect to pray for the ruling party's victory in the coming senate elections. She made this special appeal at the Johanne Masowe yechishanu annual convention on August 26. Attending members had been urged by their leaders to let her speak without interference, and not to disrespect her even if they disagree.

Our correspondent Gift was given details by sect members who are now in South Africa. They claim that members who were at the annual convention had been warned by their spirits that an evil presence would be coming to test them. They were advised to simply accommodate this presence and let it pass without incidence.

The next day Mujuru allegedly addressed them along with other female officials from ZANU-PF. She allegedly talked about how she grew up in the Johanne Masowe Sect and then appealed for special stones that would help the party in the elections coming in mid December. She offered to provide the sect better places to conduct their prayers in return, a move which is said to have insulted and angered some members as it appeared to be a subtle form of bribery.

Members told Gift that ZANU-PF was used to being accommodated by the sect while their leader was still Godfrey Nzira, the deposed leader who was accused of raping female members and eventually convicted.
But Gift said the truth is that the Johanne Masowe sect is full of members who support different parties. Many will not likely be praying for ZANU-PF or any political party.