By Religion Editor | ZimEye | Ezekiel Guti, a prominent religious figure in Zimbabwe, has long been regarded as a spiritual leader by many. However, recent revelations and longstanding controversies surrounding his actions and associations cast a shadow over his suitability as a leader for Zimbabwean religion.
Allegations of Corruption and Mismanagement
Ezekiel Guti has been implicated in the infamous RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme scandal. According to reports, the scheme, which was intended to support agricultural productivity, turned into a conduit for corruption and financial mismanagement. High-profile individuals, including Guti, benefited from loans which were never repaid, thereby shifting the financial burden onto the taxpayers. This misuse of public funds is a clear violation of the ethical standards expected from a religious leader, whose role should be to uphold integrity and righteousness. As noted in a detailed report, “The RBZ debt assumption shifted the financial burden from the elite beneficiaries to the general taxpayers, exacerbating the country’s debt crisis” (New Zimbabwe, July 2023) oai_citation:1,EXCLUSIVE: Beneficiaries of the RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme | oai_citation:2,BSR EXCLUSIVE: Beneficiaries of the RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme – Part 2 – Big Saturday Read.
Covering Up Serious Crimes
One of the most damning accusations against Guti is his alleged cover-up of his brother Nelson’s paedophilia. Despite being convicted, Nelson remains a bishop in Guti’s church, a situation that raises serious ethical concerns. Protecting a convicted criminal, especially for such heinous crimes, undermines the moral authority of Guti and his religious institution. “Covering up such crimes within a religious institution not only undermines trust but also perpetuates injustice and abuse” (iHarare, June 2023) oai_citation:3,EXCLUSIVE: Beneficiaries of the RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme |.
Promoting Superstitious and Dangerous Practices
Guti has also been accused of promoting superstitious practices that pose serious health hazards. Reports suggest that he encouraged his followers to believe in magic powers derived from corpse remains. Such teachings not only endanger public health but also exploit the gullibility of his followers, diverting them from rational and constructive beliefs. “These dangerous superstitions have no place in modern society and reflect a deep exploitation of vulnerable followers” (Big Saturday Read, May 2023) oai_citation:4,EXCLUSIVE: Beneficiaries of the RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme |.
Political Associations and Moral Compromises
Guti’s close association with controversial political figures like Mnangagwa, whom he never condemned for alleged crimes, further tarnishes his image. A religious leader’s role includes being a moral compass for society, but Guti’s failure to distance himself from or speak out against political corruption and violence reflects poorly on his leadership. “The alignment with corrupt political figures deeply compromises the moral standing of any religious leader” (Spiked Media, April 2023) oai_citation:5,Zimbabwe’s RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme and its Contribution to the Public Debt Burden | Spiked.co.zw | Best Zimbabwe News Online.
Financial Exploitation of Followers
The financial exploitation of his followers through mandatory tithes, contrary to Biblical teachings that preachers should not live off their followers’ sweat, highlights Guti’s deviation from core Christian values. This practice of enriching oneself at the expense of one’s congregation is a significant betrayal of trust and a stark indicator of greed and self-interest. As criticized in various sources, “The use of religion to extract financial gain from followers is a gross misuse of spiritual authority” (iHarare, July 2023) oai_citation:6,EXCLUSIVE: Beneficiaries of the RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme |.
Ezekiel Guti’s involvement in financial scandals, covering up crimes, promoting dangerous superstitions, aligning with controversial political figures, and exploiting his followers financially demonstrates a pattern of behavior that is unbecoming of a religious leader. His actions not only undermine the credibility of his religious teachings but also set a dangerous precedent for moral and ethical conduct within the religious community.
For Zimbabwean religion to foster genuine spiritual growth and moral integrity, it is imperative to hold its leaders accountable. Ezekiel Guti’s tarnished image and actions prove that he cannot be a good leader for the Zimbabwean religious community. The nation deserves leaders who exemplify the highest standards of ethical and moral conduct, and it is clear that Guti falls short of these essential qualities.
Sources:
- “Exclusive: Beneficiaries of the RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme,” New Zimbabwe, July 2023 oai_citation:7,EXCLUSIVE: Beneficiaries of the RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme |.
- “BSR Exclusive: Beneficiaries of the RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme – Part 2,” Big Saturday Read, May 2023 oai_citation:8,BSR EXCLUSIVE: Beneficiaries of the RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme – Part 2 – Big Saturday Read.
- “Zimbabwe’s RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme and its Contribution to the Public Debt Burden,” Spiked Media, April 2023 oai_citation:9,Zimbabwe’s RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme and its Contribution to the Public Debt Burden | Spiked.co.zw | Best Zimbabwe News Online.
- “RBZ Farm Mechanisation Was A Subsidy Not A Loan: Zanu PF Responds To Magaisa’s BSR,” iHarare, June 2023 oai_citation:10,RBZ Farm Mechanisation Was A Subsidy Not A Loan: Zanu PF Responds To Magaisa’s BSR – iHarare News.
The RBZ (Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe) Farm Mechanisation Scheme has been a significant point of controversy and discussion in Zimbabwe. This scheme, initially intended to empower farmers through the provision of agricultural equipment, has instead become a symbol of corruption and mismanagement, burdening the country’s taxpayers with substantial debt.
Background and Controversy
The Farm Mechanisation Scheme was designed to distribute agricultural machinery to farmers, ostensibly to boost agricultural productivity. However, it has been marred by allegations of misappropriation and lack of accountability. Many high-profile individuals, including politicians, judges, and businesspeople, benefitted from the scheme without repaying the loans, leading to a significant financial burden on the state. The total debt from the scheme, amounting to over a billion US dollars, was transferred to the taxpayer under the RBZ Debt Assumption Act oai_citation:1,EXCLUSIVE: Beneficiaries of the RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme | oai_citation:2,BSR EXCLUSIVE: Beneficiaries of the RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme – Part 2 – Big Saturday Read.
Allegations and Responses
Critics argue that the scheme was rife with corruption, with equipment being allocated to politically connected individuals who did not use it for its intended purpose. Instead, these beneficiaries failed to repay the loans, shifting the financial burden to ordinary citizens. This has exacerbated Zimbabwe’s public debt crisis, affecting service delivery in crucial sectors like healthcare and education oai_citation:3,Zimbabwe’s RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme and its Contribution to the Public Debt Burden | Spiked.co.zw | Best Zimbabwe News Online.
In response, ZANU PF and other supporters of the scheme have defended it as a necessary subsidy to support new farmers following the land reform programs. They claim that such subsidies are common worldwide and essential for empowering farmers who were previously marginalized oai_citation:4,RBZ Farm Mechanisation Was A Subsidy Not A Loan: Zanu PF Responds To Magaisa’s BSR – iHarare News.
Impact on Public Services
The financial mismanagement associated with the scheme has had dire consequences for public services in Zimbabwe. Hospitals are under-resourced, with critical shortages of drugs and medical supplies. The education sector also suffers, with insufficient funding for essential services, exacerbated by the economic constraints imposed by the COVID-19 pandemic. This situation has led to widespread public discontent, with many citizens demanding that the beneficiaries of the scheme be held accountable and made to repay the loans oai_citation:5,Zimbabwe’s RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme and its Contribution to the Public Debt Burden | Spiked.co.zw | Best Zimbabwe News Online.
Public Opinion
Public opinion is overwhelmingly against the way the scheme was managed. A survey by ZIMCODD (Zimbabwe Coalition on Debt and Development) revealed that 97% of respondents believe that the beneficiaries should repay the money to relieve the burden on taxpayers and improve public services. Citizens feel that the lack of accountability undermines economic governance and perpetuates poverty and inequality oai_citation:6,Zimbabwe’s RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme and its Contribution to the Public Debt Burden | Spiked.co.zw | Best Zimbabwe News Online.
The RBZ Farm Mechanisation Scheme represents a broader issue of governance and accountability in Zimbabwe. While intended to support agricultural productivity, its implementation has highlighted significant flaws in economic management and political integrity. As the country grapples with its debt crisis and the impact on public services, the call for greater transparency and accountability remains a crucial aspect of the national discourse.
whose role should be to uphold integrity and righteousness.
Val Tavmad:
Saka what measurement are you using that he was not a man of God? Thanks for keeping his legacy by continuing to talk about him.
ZimEye:
- Theft of RBZ money Agric Mechanization Scheme USD116000.
- Covering up his convicted blood brother Nelson’s paedophilia, who remains a bishop in his church to today.
- Teaching followers to believe in magic powers from corpse remains, which is a serious health hazard.
- Falsely claiming he was close to God when the god he was really close to was the murderer, Mnangagwa whose awful crimes he never condemned.
- Teaching he has special access to the Creator, when he was just building his mother, the Ngaone Muroyi, Dorcas an empire.
- Leading a religion whose pastors get paid from tithes, in contravention of Biblical instructions Acts 20:32 and others that order that preachers must work for their sustenance, not live off their followers’ sweat.
- Teaching the fear of ZANU PF than of God, such that his followers are worse off on the nucleus of mental freedom: they today fear law-breaking politicians today than they did when he started his cult in 1960.
Howard Nyoni
Val Tavmad:
Ok thanks for the information.
Kalubi Mbengwa:
Yoooh
Princess Victoria Samushonga:
On number 6 please check those the Levites worked and how they were taken care of
Tawanda Mapfumo:
I like your facts, keep it up
ZimEye:
Princess Victoria Samushonga that was Judaism not Christianity, and even then no one stole RBZ money like Guti, and no one called self this is my ministry and all the merchant enterprise seen today.
Abraham Gazilami:
I must say you’re actually troubled within yourself; I am one of his “followers” according to you, no single day was I taught to believe in magic powers, Ezekiel taught people to believe in Jesus. I hope you will find the help your soul is yearning for.
ZimEye:
Abraham Gazilami how did you not watch him talk of how this Chipinge man stole limestones (skeletal bones) from a grave in Israel and took it to the Bindura mountain cave so that it can give long life?