Source: How does a Christian live with himself after accepting money stolen from ordinary people?
This is the million-dollar question.
When church leaders line their pockets with the proceeds of grand corruption, they are not receiving divine blessings—they are actively dining on the misery of millions.
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Every blood-stained dollar gleefully accepted from politically connected tenderpreneurs represents a sick child denied medication, a school without books, and a community deprived of clean water.
As a devout Christian, this is not a abstract debate or a political talking point.
It is a deeply personal, heartbreaking crisis of faith.
There is nothing more sickening than watching those who claim to shepherd God’s flock desecrate His holy name to line their own pockets.
The growing trend of church leaders eagerly accepting lavish “donations” from figures whose reputations are deeply entangled in corruption allegations is an indictment of the modern Zimbabwean pulpit.
The most visible face of this culture is convicted fraudster and tenderpreneur Wicknell Chivayo, who dishes out millions of dollars and luxury fleets like confetti at a wedding.
Over the past few years, the public has watched in utter disbelief as Christian figures gracefully receive these gifts.
From ZCC’s Nehemiah Mutendi and leaders across various apostolic sects to prominent gospel musicians, the queue for questionable generosity keeps growing.
Most recently, UFIC’s self-appointed “prophet” Emmanuel Makandiwa accepted a million dollars.
How does any self-respecting believer who claims to worship and fear God accept funds that are, in all likelihood, the proceeds of crime?
These politically-connected tenderpreneurs do not generate wealth through innovation or productive enterprise.
They secure multi-million-dollar public contracts through dubious means.
Look no further than the infamous Gwanda Solar Power Plant Project, where millions exchanged hands while not a single watt of power was produced for a country plunging into darkness.
Consider the R800 million (roughly US$42 million) flagged by South African financial authorities—deposited into business accounts linked to Chivayo from Ren-Form CC right after the company received R1.1 billion from Zimbabwe’s Treasury for vastly inflated election material.
No convincing explanation was ever offered for why that money moved the way it did.
These are merely the scandals that surfaced because investigative journalists and cross-border regulatory authorities pulled back the curtain.
One is left to wonder what else remains hidden in the shadows.
What other millions are changing hands under dubious circumstances behind closed doors?
These are not harmless financial games.
Every single dollar handed over in a velvet bag or parked as a luxury vehicle in a pastor’s driveway is money stripped directly from public hospitals.
It is money that should have purchased lifesaving medication and functional equipment for dying citizens.
It is money missing from primary schools where children sit on cold concrete floors without textbooks or science kits.
It is money stolen from road infrastructure, leaving highways resembling hazardous war zones, and from municipal water systems in cities where urban homes have gone years without a drop of clean running water.
Worst of all, these tenderpreneurs make no pretense of repentance.
They do not come to the altar confessing their misdeeds or seeking restitution.
Instead, they position themselves as benevolent philanthropists, preening before congregation cameras while distributing plunder.
Scripture offers a clear contrast in the story of Zacchaeus.
When the tax collector encountered Jesus Christ and realized the error of his corrupt ways, his repentance was immediate and costly.
He pledged to give half his possessions to the poor and return fourfold to anyone he had cheated.
Crucially, Zacchaeus did not hand that stolen money to Jesus, nor did Jesus demand a cut for the ministry.
The restitution went straight back to the prejudiced public.
Can anyone imagine Zacchaeus taking his ill-gotten wealth to purchase golden chariots and thoroughbred horses for Jesus—and Jesus smiling, taking the reins, and praising his righteousness?
That would have been an utter outrage.
It would have destroyed the moral authority of Christ.
Jesus would not have been the Christ we revere and worship today.
Besides, these churches are not even giving that money back to the people of Zimbabwe—perhaps by donating all of it to various hospitals and schools.
The money is being kept by these churches, and the luxury cars are being driven by the leaders.
The ultimate casualty in this toxic arrangement is Christ Himself.
His image is being systematically dragged through the dirt by the insatiable greed of self-serving leaders.
To the outside world, Christians are now viewed as self-righteous hypocrites who preach morality on Sunday but compromise for thirty pieces of silver on Monday.
In doing so, unfortunately, we are more akin to Judas Iscariot than our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
We actually push more people away from Jesus than towards Him.
It is a real shame.
Unless we introspect on who we have truly become as Christians, we are no better than the people we love to preach to and call “sinners.”
If anything, those supposed “sinners” are better than us—because they never pretend to be who they are not.
Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to contact him on +263715667700 or mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com
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