Zimbabwe’s religious community is mourning the death of Archbishop Ernest Paul Mamvura Mwazha, the revered founder of the African Apostolic Church, who passed away yesterday morning at the age of 107.
Mourners gathered at the family home at 8 Jefferson Road in Hatfield, Harare, where church members and leaders streamed in throughout the day. Many described the atmosphere as sombre yet deeply spiritual as funeral preparations began.
Born on October 25, 1918, at Holy Cross Mission in Chirumanzu, Archbishop Mwazha — affectionately known as Mutumwa (angelic messenger) — survived a near-fatal childhood illness after being baptised “Paul” by a German Catholic missionary, a recovery viewed by many followers as prophetic.
He trained as a teacher at Howard Institute and later worked within the Methodist Church before breaking away in the late 1950s following a series of spiritual visions. This led to the founding of the African Apostolic Church, which has since expanded into a vast religious movement with thousands of branches across Africa and millions of congregants worldwide.
Throughout his ministry, Archbishop Mwazha travelled extensively, preaching a message of holiness, humility and healing. He fathered 14 children — 10 of whom are still alive — and his wife passed away in 2017.
Messages of condolence poured in yesterday, with Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Permanent Secretary Mr Nick Mangwana describing the Archbishop’s passing as a monumental loss to the nation.
“It is with a profound sense of both loss and eternal gratitude that we acknowledge the peaceful passing of spiritual father to many, Archbishop Paul Mwazha, today,” he said. “He was a pillar of faith, a beacon of hope, and the foundational rock upon which the African Apostolic Church was built.”
Family spokesperson and the Archbishop’s personal doctor, Dr Masimba Mwazha, confirmed the passing, describing him as “a spiritual giant whose impact stretched far beyond Zimbabwe’s borders.”
“A spiritual giant has slept. The Archbishop touched people spiritually and physically from way back, and his influence will remain for generations,” he said.
As Zimbabwe reflects on his more than century-long journey, mourners say his death marks the end of a monumental chapter in the nation’s spiritual history.
