Tendai Ruben Mbofana
Over the years, we have watched in utter disbelief as various Christian groups in Zimbabwe fall over each other, not only to praise but to actively support successive leaders who have presided over brutal, kleptomaniac regimes.
These are regimes that have crushed the hopes of millions, driven them into unimaginable poverty, and ruthlessly clamped down on dissent.
Yet, rather than stand with the suffering masses, these churches have chosen to back these leaders, portraying them as “chosen and ordained by God.”
We have witnessed this blind support in the way church leaders rallied behind Robert Mugabe and later Emmerson Mnangagwa, showering them with blessings and calling on their congregants to obey without question.
These endorsements have often been justified using a selective and self-serving interpretation of biblical scripture—particularly the verse in Romans 13:1, which states: “Let everyone be subject to the governing authorities, for there is no authority except that which God has established. The authorities that exist have been established by God.”
According to this reasoning, Christians are supposedly forbidden from opposing or holding their leaders accountable.
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Instead, they must submit unquestioningly to whatever those in power demand of them.
This interpretation, however, is not only flawed but dangerously hypocritical, serving as a convenient shield for those who wish to avoid challenging the injustices inflicted upon the people.
A case that highlights this contradiction is one that is close to home.
A few years ago, a representative from the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) approached me for assistance in writing and editing a biography of their founder, Bishop Samuel Mutendi.
The ZCC today is one of the church organizations that fiercely supports Zimbabwe’s presidents, urging its members to back the ZANU-PF regime without question.
Yet, ironically, the church itself was built on the back of relentless and bold defiance of those in authority.
When Mutendi sought to establish his church in the 1900s, he faced considerable opposition—not only from the colonial regime and white-dominated mainstream churches but also from local traditional leaders, who were puppets of the establishment.
Instead of submitting to these authorities, Mutendi stood his ground, refusing to abandon his mission.
He was arrested multiple times for his defiance, yet he remained steadfast in his commitment to spreading his faith.
This begs a crucial question: if absolute submission to authority is a divine commandment, why did Mutendi disobey those in power?
Why did he not simply accept the orders of the authorities in colonial Rhodesia and abandon his church?
The answer is clear—Mutendi understood that true faith demands standing up against unjust rulers.
His defiance was based on the recognition that those in power were enforcing oppressive and unjust laws that went against the very principles of God.
This undeniable contradiction exposes the insincerity of today’s church leaders, including Mutendi’s own son, Nehemiah, who now commands the ZCC and has chosen to align with oppressive state power rather than stand for justice.
If Samuel Mutendi could openly defy the colonial authorities, who were supposedly “appointed by God,” why should Zimbabweans today be expected to behave any differently under post-independence leaders who oppress their people?
Even in the Bible, we see that Jesus’ own apostles, including Paul—the very author of the verse in Romans 13:1—were arrested, beaten, and persecuted for refusing to obey unjust rulers.
Acts 5:29 states: “We must obey God rather than men.”
The early Christians did not blindly submit to authority; rather, they challenged oppressive rulers and chose to follow divine justice instead.
So, why should Zimbabwean Christians today not do the same?
Does Proverbs 31:8-9 not command us to be the voice of the voiceless?
“Speak up for those who cannot speak for themselves, for the rights of all who are destitute. Speak up and judge fairly; defend the rights of the poor and needy.”
How then can a church that claims to follow the teachings of the Bible sit in silence—or worse, actively support—leaders who loot the nation’s wealth, suppress their citizens, and leave millions in misery?
The Bible is filled with examples of God condemning corrupt and oppressive leaders.
In Isaiah 10:1-2, the Jehovah declares: “Woe to those who make unjust laws, to those who issue oppressive decrees, to deprive the poor of their rights and withhold justice from the oppressed of my people.”
If this is the position of God Himself, how can any church justify endorsing and blessing leaders who embody the very injustices that Scripture denounces?
As Christians, it is not just our right but our duty to speak out against oppressive leadership.
Standing against corruption, injustice, and tyranny is not rebellion against God—it is obedience to Him.
To remain silent, or worse, to actively support leaders who rob the nation and brutalize their people, is to betray the very essence of Christianity.
It is to side with the oppressor instead of the oppressed.
The argument that Christians should submit without question to their leaders is as misguided as the belief that wives must endure abuse from their husbands simply because the Bible instructs them to submit.
Ephesians 5:22 does tell wives to submit to their husbands, but this is within the context of a loving and godly relationship where husbands are also commanded to love their wives as Christ loves the church.
Submission is not the same as subservience.
Likewise, respecting authority does not mean turning a blind eye to tyranny.
If our leaders truly believe they were placed in power by God, then they must govern according to His laws—with love, honesty, and fairness.
If they fail to do so, then Christians must hold them accountable.
To support a regime that steals, oppresses, and brutalizes its people is not faith—it is complicity in sin.
True Christianity is about standing for justice, even in the face of persecution.
Jesus Himself was executed by the state because He challenged the status quo.
His apostles suffered imprisonment and death because they refused to submit to unjust rulers.
Samuel Mutendi was arrested multiple times because he chose to follow God’s calling rather than bow to colonial authorities.
So, what excuse do today’s church leaders have for aligning themselves with the corrupt and oppressive rulers of Zimbabwe?
Is it fear?
Is it greed?
Or have they simply lost sight of what it truly means to follow Christ?
The time has come for real Christians to reclaim their faith from these misguided and hypocritical religious leaders.
We must speak truth to power, no matter the consequences.
This is not about politics—it is about obedience to God.
Submitting to authority does not mean endorsing evil.
Just as the prophets, apostles, and even Jesus Himself stood against unjust rulers, so too must we.
We cannot claim to be followers of Christ while standing idly by as millions suffer under corrupt and brutal leadership.
The church should be at the forefront of defending the poor, standing up for the oppressed, and holding leaders accountable.
Anything less is a betrayal of God Himself.
- Tendai Ruben Mbofana is a social justice advocate and writer. Please feel free to WhatsApp or Call: +263715667700 | +263782283975, or email: mbofana.tendairuben73@gmail.com, or visit website: https://mbofanatendairuben.news.blog/
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