Source: President to grace Easter celebrations at Mbungo | The Sunday Mail
George Maponga
Masvingo Bureau
PRESIDENT MNANGAGWA will today join more than 100 000 Zion Christian Church (ZCC) Mutendi pilgrims at the church’s shrine at Mbungo Estate in Masvingo North, putting the icing on the cake in the Easter celebrations.
The President’s presence at Easter celebrations of one of the biggest indigenous churches in the country is testament to the Second Republic’s close working relationship with the Church.
Pilgrims — some from as far afield as the United States, Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, Poland, Germany, Turkey and all over Africa — have been meeting at Mbungo Estates since April 12 when this year’s Easter conference kicked off with a programme for learners under the age of 14 years. By Friday evening, the congregation had grown to over 100 000.
At today’s church service, President Mnangagwa will have an opportunity to worship with a colourful bumper crowd of congregants from all over the world. Permanent Secretary for Masvingo Provincial Affairs and Devolution Dr Addmore Pazvakavambwa confirmed President Mnangagwa’s visit to Masvingo today for the ZCC Mutendi Easter conference.
“We are making preparations for His Excellency (President Mnangagwa) coming to Mbungo on Sunday (today),” said Dr Pazvakavambwa.
“The President is coming for Easter celebrations upon the invitation of His Grace, Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi.”
ZCC Mutendi spokesperson Mr Charles Rukuni said an unprecedented record number of congregants had attended this year’s Easter conference, with attendees coming from across the globe.
“We have congregants from all four corners of the globe, including Europe, North and South America and even Australia,” he said.
“We also have congregants from most parts of Africa, including the Southern Africa region, who are attending this year’s Easter conference, which kicked off officially on April 11 with a conference for schoolchildren under the age of 14 years.”
“On the 13th of April, we marked Palm Sunday, which was capped with an open mass and holy communion for everyone (schoolchildren and adults).
“On Monday, we continued with the conference for schoolchildren who are under the age of 14 years and continued into Tuesday.”
Mr Rukuni said the packed Easter programme proceeded into midweek with a joint service for both male and female married congregants, which took place on Wednesday.
On Thursday, the church held a youth conference, which was for people in the 14-to-40-year age group.
“All these conferences included holy communion, led by Bishop Mutendi, and by Thursday evening, the number of congregants started to swell, as more people trooped to Mbungo for the church’s Easter celebrations,’’ added Mr Rukuni.
Friday, he said, was a day reserved for congregants to go up the small hill at Mbungo for prayers.
Every year, tens of thousands of ZCC Mutendi pilgrims from all over the world flock to the church’s Mbungo shrine for Easter celebrations.
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