Harare (New Ziana) – President Emmerson Mnangagwa on Saturday implored the leadership and congregants of the Zimbabwe Assemblies of God Africa (ZAOGA) church to remain true and committed to the vision of their late founding leader, national hero Apostle Archbishop Ezekiel Guti.
Speaking at a send-off ceremony for Archbishop Guti ahead of his burial, he said the people and Government of Zimbabwe deeply appreciated and valued the good and exemplary legacy the late, renowned clergyman had bequeathed to the church and the nation as a whole.
“In our dearly departed National Hero, Baba Ezekiel Guti, we have lost a faithful servant of God, a great leader, and an advocate of peace and justice. He has left ‘footprints on water’ here in our beloved motherland, Zimbabwe and indeed beyond,” he said.
“He was a unifier, and a man of deep faith and conviction, whose life was a testament to the power of love, compassion, and forgiveness,” President Mnangagwa added.
Archbishop Guti died last month at the age of 100, and is expected to be buried soon. He was declared a national hero in recognition of his enormous contribution to the development of religion, and provision of health and educational services in the country.
President Mnangagwa said Archbishop Guti’s distinct commitment to the work of the Almighty God culminated in him being one of the pioneers in founding and leading an indigenous church, the Zimbabwe Assemblies of God Africa-Forward in Faith Ministries International, which has now branched beyond the boundaries of the country.
The nation, he said, will forever cherish his tireless efforts to promote unity both within the religious sector and across broader society.
“The late Baba Guti was a true champion in promoting the welfare of the vulnerable, disabled, women and youth. His unflinching devotion to the well-being of fellow compatriots and the body of Christ in general has left an indelible mark in our nation,” he said.
“He stood as a prophet, evangelist and marriage counsellor with deep-seated wisdom which reflected an understanding that social justice and economic development were two sides of the same coin,” said President Mnangagwa.
He said the ‘Home Going’ ceremony should be a celebration in which honor should be bestowed to the late National Hero who impacted and influenced countless people in the nation and beyond.
“We are gathered here to send off an ambassador of hope, a beacon of light and a voice of reason, a man who lived out his life with love, courage, humility and grace. He championed countless initiatives to empower many families, promoted education and healthcare, and created opportunities for all, particularly the marginalised.
“The Forward in Faith Children’s home, Dress making schools, Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University, as well as Mbuya Dorcas Hospital and Health Centre were established by the late National Hero. In so doing, he ensured that the Church played its part towards a higher quality of life for our people. In his honour, I challenge Ministers of the gospel of God to remain alive to the fact that, for a society to truly develop and prosper, our people must be uplifted from poverty into prosperity,” President Mnangagwa said.
New Ziana
