Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries leader, Prophet Walter Magaya, and controversial tourism boss Karikoga Kaseke have received splashes of praises from the Daily News paper.
The paper handed Magaya a Personality of the Year award for 2014.
A statement read stating, “Despite the fact that 2014 was undoubtedly one of the most difficult years Zimbabweans have had to endure since 1980, Magaya proved to a wide cross-section of the population that he was one of a few institutions and individuals that provided a rare ray of hope to many.
“Personality of the year award — Walter Magaya
“The young charismatic preacher managed to attract one of the largest crowds Zimbabwe has ever seen during his Night of Turnaround in November last year.
“An estimated 350 000 people from all walks of life attended the conference, a feat that all the country’s stage-hungry politicians have failed to achieve over the past 35 years of Uhuru.
“The well-known philanthropist also won the hearts of many Zimbabweans when he gave the late Studio 263 actress Pretty Xaba $18 000 to cater for her travel and medical bills at an Indian hospital, in addition to awarding scholarships to several orphans dotted across the country.”
But despite all his good deeds, Magaya did court some controversy during the year, including facing untested allegations of adultery and seeing one of his crusades in Kwekwe ending tragically.
But the publication concluded claiming that “through his ministry, characterised by fervent reports of healing and miracles, he managed to turn many Zimbabweans to God.”
Meanwhile Karikoga Kaseke was handed,
the Tourism personality of the year award.
A reading stated, ‘The strong-willed Zimbabwe Tourism Authority chief executive, Karikoga Kaseke, is a hands-on man.
Notwithstanding the fact that he is a regulator, Kaseke, with his team, deserve praise for working so hard to revive the country’s tourism sector.
After realising that Zimbabwe was losing a lot of revenue due to lack of tourists in the country, Kaseke has gone on a successful soft diplomatic offensive — and his efforts are slowly paying off.
Last year, the sector brought close to $1 billion in tourism receipts.
Through his dedication and commitment to the industry, Kaseke personally negotiated with Egypt Air to review its decision to withdraw from Zimbabwe.