It is a known fact that recently, CCC Harare Mayor Councillor Mafume, also an SDA member refused for Mr Tagwirei to refurbish Rufaro stadium. Beyond the political tussle is a fight for the soul of the SDAs churches political soul.
The SDA church was predominantly foreign funded from conception, and the CCC has always considered it their, "stronghold", until lately. With the opening up of the economy by the government, we have local players who have become financially strong and can contribute towards growth and vision of the church. This is not sitting well with some SDA politicians.
National politics has resultantly affected church politics. Mr Mafume and Thabani Mpofu are senior CCC members of the Adventist church who have enjoyed the votes from the church because of the traditional funding structure. They have enjoyed disseminating an unpatriotic message through the rank and file of the church until recently.
Mr Tagwirei's appointment as an elder has sent shivers down their spines and a fear of loss of support courses through them. Unfortunately this paranoia and hatred has caused politicization of national development projects. The current state of the Rufaro stadium is clearly Mayor Mafume's fault. For no solid reason beside political differences, he chose to scuttle Mr Tagwirei’s plans to refurbish Rufaro, disenfranchising a whole generation which could have benefited. What are his plans now?
Genuine church followers and citizens at large appreciate Me Tagwirei's philanthropy to their church through which God has blessed him. It is indeed good to see us rebuilding our own country with no recourse to foreign hands and aid. Unfortunately, this had irked the old guard who are CCC aligned, who believe their only prospects of election victory are born of an undeveloped and dilapidated Zimbabwe. We should not sabotage projects because of petty politics. Zimbabwe is bigger than all of us.
The question to Mr Mafume is this, after refusing for Rufaro stadium to be refurbished by Mr Tagwirei for no good reason, what is your solution now? Youths need the facility, the nation needs the infrastructure. What next Mayor Mafume?
