Zanu PF apologist and Apostolic Christian Council of Zimbabwe leader Johannes Ndanga has prophesied the return of the Zimbabwe dollar in the next five years, and pleaded with top government officials to take his sensational prophecy seriously, claiming it was an authentic message from God.
Addressing thousands of Zvapupu ZvaJesu Apostolic Church pilgrims and government officials on Saturday in Mahusvu village, Chikomba Central district in Mashonaland East province, Ndanga claimed that his prophesy had been corroborated by other prophets at the same pilgrimage.
Ndanga said before the return of the Zimdollar, the economy would first nosedive steeply and then pick up.
“I am saying this today before this gathering that the Zimbabwean dollar is retuning four to five years from now and people should be calm. The Minister of Industry, Minister of Finance and Reserve Bank governor should start putting modalities in place as the local currency will bounce back five
years from now,” Ndanga said.
“This is what the spirit has said, that the Zimbabwean dollar is returning, all your troubles five years from now will be over. But there is going to be a time where things are going to be tough economically before stabilising as time goes on and getting better at last.”
Government dumped by the Zimdollar in 2009 after it had become worthless and adopted the multi-currency system which is dominated by the United States dollar.
“I repeat: Four of five years from now, the Zimbabwean dollar will be back. The United States dollar will also be there, working alongside our own currency. The Zimbabwean dollar will be a little bit weaker than the United States dollar, but the US dollar will later vanish, leaving our local currency in circulation,” Ndanga said.
Last August, Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe (RBZ) governor John Mangudya warned against the rushed re-introduction of the local currency, saying any move to bring it back into the economy as it stands would be suicidal.
In his maiden mid-term monetary policy statement presentation, Mangudya advised government to demonetise the Zimdollar to restore confidence in the financial markets.
Mangudya also said the multiple currency system adopted in 2009 would remain in force until such a time the economy was stable enough to permit a rebirth of the local currency.
But Ndanga defended his prophecy and even invited Industry and Commerce minister Mike Bimha’s representative Achibold Makari to the podium and pleaded with him to relay the message to his principals in government.
Bimha, who was supposed to be the guest of honour at the church gathering, had reportedly travelled to South Africa on a business trip.
“I am the one who was told by the Holy Spirit in 2012 and 2013 that (MDC-T leader Morgan) Tsvangirai would lose the election and that after losing, the MDC would split and that (former secretary-general Tendai) Biti would form his own party while some of its members would be sacked. And it came to pass,” Ndanga added.
“Even what transpired within your party (the split in Zanu PF) was prophesied, but we did not want to publicise it. Now the Holy Spirit is saying we should respect those who started the indigenous churches in Zimbabwe, and the priests. The Zimbabwean dollar is returning, and it will come to pass,” Ndanga said.
In the run-up to the July 2013 elections, Ndanga — who claimed to be representing 100 apostolic prophets — told ruling party supporters that President Robert Mugabe was going to win the polls by a wide margin and presented the veteran politician with a self-made “Life Presidency Certificate”.
RBZ last year unveiled four new coins in denominations of one, five, 10 and 25 cents before adding another 50c bond coin this year as part of efforts to stabilise the economy.
Meanwhile, Ndanga posthumously honoured Zvapupu ZvaJesu Apostolic Church founder July Jahwi Madhonho Chirwa with a five-star Official Order and Merit Award (OOMA) and certificate.
The certificate was received by the deceased’s son Jameson Chirwa, who is the church’s new leader. The award is given to founding members of indigenous apostolic churches who also participated in the liberation struggle.
Chirwa died in 1998 after forming the church in 1962.
Zvapupu ZvaJesu has branches in Cape Verde, Malawi, Namibia and Mozambique, among others.NEWSDAYP
