A jarring shift from spiritual refuge to commercial pressure has exposed a bitter irony, transforming a place of worship into a bazaar where faith is seemingly priced at a premium, leaving many to question the true cost of their devotion.
Prophet Andrew Wutaunashe Starts Selling Donated Chickens at Inflated Prices During Church Sermon.
Harare, Zimbabwe – April 11, 2025
By A Correspondent | ZimEye | Prophet Andrew Wutaunashe, leader of the Family of God (FOG) Church has begun selling donated chickens at twice the supermarket price. On April 6, 2025, Wutaunashe announced that his church is now selling donated chickens at $7 each—nearly three times the price of a chicken at local budget retailers, where they retail for as low as $2.69.
During the sermon, Wutaunashe explained the initiative as a means to fund the church’s activities. “I felt back there that we should make some money to support the work of God,” he said, detailing a poultry project that has produced 900 healthy chickens. “We’ve decided to open a space in Masjid where the ministry is going to be having chicken.” He urged congregants to purchase the chickens, framing it as a way to support the church’s mission, even suggesting that buying a chicken was akin to fulfilling a spiritual duty.
Observers accused Wutaunashe of exploiting his congregation for profit. Critics point out that the chickens were donated to the church, raising questions about the ethics of reselling them at a significant markup. “This is not just about the price—it’s about turning a house of worship into a marketplace,” said Howard Nyoni, a news analyst.
Nyoni referenced the biblical account of Jesus overturning the tables of money changers in the temple, citing Matthew 21:12-13: “My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers.”
Wutaunashe appeared to address this reluctance directly, stating, “I don’t want resistance to the Word of God,” a remark that critics argue conflates his fundraising scheme with divine instruction. “Are these people resisting the Word of God, or are they resisting a market in church, which is illegal?” Nyoni questioned.
The controversy adds to Wutaunashe’s history of polarizing actions. The prophet has previously faced scrutiny for demanding a luxury car from his followers and for his close ties to Zimbabwe’s ruling ZANU-PF party, which some allege shields him from accountability.
Prophet Wutaunashe who was still to comment over the matter at the time of writing, has claimed that the ZimEye news network likes to “hit me from time to time.”- ZimEye