THE role of churches in promoting unity and development continues to be taken seriously by the Second Republic, Bishop Rungano Zvobgo of the African Reformed Church said yesterday when accepting an ambulance from President Mnangagwa for a church clinic.
Bishop Zvobgo is in secular life a senior academic holding a professorship and is Vice Chancellor of the Great Zimbabwe University in Masvingo.
He was last year anointed to lead the church that was founded by his late father, Bishop Jonas Mudadirwa Zvobgo in 1954, during the colonial era.
President Mnangagwa pledged the ambulance late last year when he travelled to Masvingo Province for the installation and ordination of Prof Zvobgo as Bishop of the African Reformed Church.
The ambulance was donated to Shonganiso Clinic, which is part of Shonganiso Mission located in Masvingo South, to boost operations at the healthcare centre.
In his short address while handing over the fully equipped ambulance at State House in Harare yesterday, President Mnangagwa said: “I am donating this ambulance to African Reformed Church which is one of the African churches formed by the late father of (Prof) Zvobgo, Jonasi.
“When I went there and Prof Zvobgo was ordained as the Bishop, I donated this ambulance.”
Accepting the ambulance, Prof Zvobgo applauded President Mnangagwa for keeping his promise.
He said the donation shows that the Second Republic appreciates the role of the church in promoting development and unity.
“This Government takes churches very seriously, particularly African churches. As you know, prior to independence, African churches were looked down upon by whites but now we are exalted,” said Prof Zvobgo.
“When Government appreciates that the church, particularly the African church, has a role to play in moving forward the agenda of the Government, we feel extremely grateful to His Excellency, the President of the Republic of Zimbabwe.
“We can see that this is a fully equipped ambulance. It will be used with care. Prior to this donation, our people were boarding kombis to get to Morgenster Mission or Masvingo General Hospital.
“Now they will travel in the comfort of this facility and it reduces the pressure when you are not feeling well and fearing death. But when ferried in this facility, it makes life a lot easier and illness less painful.”
The African Reformed Church, said Prof Zvobgo, was part of a movement started by the likes of Bishop Samuel Mutendi and Reverend Andrew Wutawunashe, among others, who took it upon themselves to reject the white belief that for one to go to heaven, they had to be in a white church.
He said even at that time, their fathers said enough was enough and broke away, to set up African churches.
The donation is in keeping with the massive investment in the health sector since 2018 by the Second Republic.
Several clinics and health posts have been constructed, especially in rural areas, to ensure almost everyone has access to healthcare near them with most clinics built using devolution funds.
General and central hospitals have also been equipped with top equipment to ensure that some of the most complicated medical procedures could be done locally. – The Herald
