By Charles Rukuni
The head of the Zion Christian Church in Zimbabwe Bishop Nehemiah Mutendi was vaccinated against the coronavirus in Harare yesterday, joining more than 60 000 Zimbabweans who have received their first jab.
Zimbabwe is in the second phase of its vaccination programme, which kicked off on 18 February with the country’s Vice-President Constantino Chiwenga becoming the first person to be vaccinated.
Zimbabwe has so far received 600 000 doses from the Chinese company, Sinopharm, enough to vaccinate 300 000 people for the two required doses.
It will receive another donation of 75 000 doses from India on Monday.
President Emmerson Mnangagwa was vaccinated on Thursday, launching phase two of the programme.
Zimbabwe intends to vaccinate more than 10 million people who choose to receive the jab, with the vaccine provided for free.
Speaking shortly after receiving his jab together with other church leaders at Wilkins Hospital, Bishop Mutendi, who turns 82 this year, said: “I urge everybody to get the jab because prevention is better than cure.”
He had told church and state leaders at State House, during a thanksgiving prayer meeting that he wanted to be vaccinated against coronavirus because he had been vaccinated as a child and still had the mark on his arm, though he could not remember for what.
In his contribution at the prayer meeting Bishop Mutendi said it was important for the nation to thank God for the good rains received this season and the anticipated bumper harvest because without faith, it was impossible to please God (Hebrew 11 vs 6).
He emphasized that leaders of the different religious groups had come to thank God and not President Mnangagwa, although God worked through the leadership.
Quoting from Hebrew 1 vs 1, Bishop Mutendi said in the past God spoke in various ways through the prophets.
The Lord had even spoken through Mbuya Nehanda telling her to urge the people to take up arms to liberate themselves.
God continued to speak through his Son Jesus Christ.
Although Christ was not urging people to take up arms to liberate themselves, he spoke of taking up hoes to till the land to produce food because this was what made people totally independent.
The ZCC leader said while donations from outside the country were welcome, people should not rely on these and they should be supplementary.
He urged all churches with farms to set aside part of this year’s produce for the needy, saying although the country was expecting a bumper harvest some sections of society would still need to be assisted.
Estimates say Zimbabwe is expecting the biggest maize crop harvest in 50 years.