Tag Archives: Zimbabwe

Persevering through Petrol Price Hikes

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— Joe Shoko

The audio version of this article is available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

The Zimbabwean economy is somewhat of a roller coaster, maybe even a conveyor belt of never-ending outward hardships and trials. One recent addition to the pile was the expected but untimely increase in fuel prices. In Southern Africa, Zimbabwe’s fuel prices tower above those of its neighbours, and what is further perplexing is that the economy is more unstable than those of said neighbours. 

The hiking of fuel prices affects numerous factors. Not only is one limited in travel, but all other commodities increase in price because goods and people use fuel to move around. Despite the increase in costs, one’s income rarely follows the same inclinations and often can be reduced, owing to major companies having to adjust their own payrolls.

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Modesty: A Lost Virtue

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–– Joe Shoko

The audio version of this article is available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

It is summertime, and that means Christian men and women, but mostly men, must work all the harder to pluck their eyes out in the face of public indecency and immodesty. Welcome to the postmodern era – where sanity, virtue, shame and dignity have all been thrown out of the window, but nudity, sensuality, and impurity of all kinds have all been embraced in the name of progressivism and inclusivity. The bible has two glaring passages that address the pertinent issue of modest dressing. 

“Likewise also that women should adorn themselves in respectable apparel, with modesty and self-control, not with braided hair and gold or pearls or costly attire” (1 Timothy 2:9), “but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious.” (1 Peter 3:4).

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Independence—A Call for African Churches to Support African Missions

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–– Joe Shoko

The audio version of this article is available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

The current call in African countries is for the “Decolonisation of Africa!” One African country, Zimbabwe, gained its independence from British rule on April 18, 1980. It’s neighbour, South Africa, was one of the last countries in Africa to see the end of racial segregation in what is known as apartheid, and to be declared an independent, “democratic” country.  

Currently, there are 54 fully independent countries in Africa. Independence is something that many young university students long for. The dream of being able to come home without the curfew alarm going off, or being frantically called by a worried mother is what many aspire to. When we think of independence, what comes to mind is being able to stand on your own two feet. This is when boys become men.

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Zimbabwe Shuts Down – Yet Again!

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–– Joe Shoko

The audio version of this article is available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Recently, Zimbabwe was plunged into yet another shutdown. What is meant by shutdown is when a country comes to a standstill. The usually noisy streets were empty and quiet, the central business district (CBD) resembled a ghost town, and in a sense, being in the middle of it on that day was scary.

For decades, Zimbabwe has been on a downward spiral morally, economically, and politically. The country is no stranger to grabbing international attention through its myriad problems. Imagine a country where state-run hospitals have neither running water nor basic medication such as painkillers. As if that were not enough, extortion, bribery and “back door deals” are the order of the day. It’s normal to see street vendors fleeing from police in the CBD and the outskirts on a daily basis. 

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Money Games in the Church

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–– Joe Shoko

The audio version of this article is available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

When self-styled ‘prophets’ don’t spend time reading and preaching from the holy Word of God, they will begin to look for ways to continue keeping their followers hooked.  These cleverly devised schemes would compete with any of the soap operas on television.

Emmanuel Makandiwa of United Family International Church, who has an insatiable craving for media attention was back at it again, this time with a more bizarre challenge. In recent years this blasphemous man has uttered statements like, “I am more gifted than God” and “If you go to heaven and do not find me there you have gone to hell”, yet his followers and his adherents continue to applaud in amusement and support.

Makandiwa is one of the most influential men in Zimbabwe. The services that he holds every Sunday are filled to capacity and that does not show any signs of slowing down. The auditorium can accommodate 10,000 people. This means that 10,000 souls are flocking to hear blasphemy week in and week out. 

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Did You Cross Over into the New Year?

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–– Joe Shoko

The audio version of this article is available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

The beginning of each year is always an interesting time for the observer or onlooker. After the excitement of the festivities passes and the increase of unwanted kilograms dawns upon us, then comes the time for ‘declaring & decreeing’, ‘overnight cross-overs’ and ‘40 days of prayer and fasting’. This has become a ritual in Africa. Many of the adherents of Pentecostal/Charismatic theology prioritise attending the cross-over services which their churches hold on the last day of each year, into the dawn of the New Year. 

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Busted for Selling A Baby—The Reason These Women Did the Unthinkable

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–– Yamikani Katunga

The audio version of this article is available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

The Sale of A Baby

With Black Friday upon us once again, nothing could prepare Zimbabweans for the darkness of the headline detailing the twisted trio of a 16-year-old mother along with her mother and another woman engaging in a sadistic sales agreement. The teen and her mother, Evelyn, appeared in court having been charged with human trafficking for selling her infant for 180 USD. The buyer is a woman named Tore who had apparently been plagued with miscarriages, and upon connecting with Evelyn on Whatsapp opportunism ensued. Rather than abort the seven-month-old pregnancy they conspired with a nurse, induced premature labour, faked a death certificate, and conducted the sale. Only to be ousted by a tip-off nine months after the baby’s birth. 

Upon hearing such a bizarre chain of events, many will rightly ask, what could cause such heinous plots in the hearts of men?

Here are three possible reasons to help understand why this mother would sell her baby. 

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The Breakdown of the Family in Africa: A Christian Perspective on Migration, Marriage, and Parenting 

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–– Jonathan Klimek

The audio version of this article is available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

The African continent is grappling with a significant challenge: the breakdown of the family unit. Economic necessity is a key driver of this issue, which compels many individuals to leave their home countries in search of work, particularly in South Africa, now a major destination for migrant workers. Although the financial support sent back home offers some relief, the long-term absence of parents and spouses creates deep and lasting fractures within families. This article explores the roots of this crisis, its devastating consequences, and how the Bible can inform our response.

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The Pandemic That Is Still With Us

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–– Joe Shoko

The audio version of this article is available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Human beings are prone to amnesia, and the famous former German monk, Martin Luther, summarized our condition well by saying the following words, “We need to hear the Gospel every day because we forget it every day.”  This is true especially when it comes to the aggressive growth of the pandemic that is still with us – The charismatic movement. The true Church of Christ, for many reasons, seems to forget that we are in a holy war, the Gospel of the Lord Jesus Christ is at stake. Presently, Africa is believed to be the centre of missions in the world. Whilst the US is fast abandoning its Christian heritage for liberalism, Europe is equally on a similar path with churches closing down. 

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“Brother, the Woman You Are Looking for Doesn’t Exist”

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–– Joe Shoko

Audio version of this article is available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

I have been a Christian now for 10 years, 5 of which have been spent on the mission field preaching, teaching, pastoring, discipling and observing. Apart from the rampant charismaticism we see these days, there is not a more perplexing and bewildering issue as single Christian men looking for a marriage partner. 

Marriage was instituted by and is a gift from God. It was God Himself who said, “It is not good that the man should be alone; I will make him a helper fit for him.” (Genesis 2:18-24). When we read the Bible we quickly observe that God’s intention was that mankind even after the fall was not meant to be alone. The most famous Apostle, Paul, makes this clear in his first letter to the Corinthians where he points out that each man should have his own wife and each woman her own husband (1 Corinthians 7:2). For many single Christian men, searching for a woman is an arduous task, not a joyful, hopeful exercise.   This is because I believe that the woman they are looking for doesn’t exist. There are three possible reasons I would say so. 

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When an Evil Nation Does Right

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–– Paul Schlehlein

Audio version of this article available here: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Zimbabwe and King Manasseh

In February of 2024, the Government of Zimbabwe sent out a press statement strongly rejecting the efforts that foreign nations have made to ensnare its citizens into homosexual behaviour through the offers of educational scholarships.

Like other African nations such as Uganda, Zimbabwe firmly condemns Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender activities. Zimbabwe opposes the viewpoint of several neighbouring countries, namely South Africa and Mozambique, both of which promote significant LGBT protections.

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The Commercialisation of Lobola (the bride price) in Zimbabwe

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–– Joe Shoko

Listen and subscribe: YouTube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Gone are the days when the milkman used to refill our empty bottles that were left neatly arranged at our gates, gone are the days when Coca–Cola used to taste like Coca-Cola, and gone are those days when Zimbabwe used to be the breadbasket of Africa! 

Zimbabwe – the teapot-shaped nation of Southern Africa, is but a shadow of what it once was. As goes the economy, so goes the sanity, which has only contributed to the further hardening of men’s hearts as they invariably devise more and more ways to simultaneously ‘survive’ the harsh economic environment as well as formulate new schemes to act out their rebellion against their Creator – Yahweh (Jeremiah 17:9). One such example is that of the bride price, also known as Lobola (Amalobolo) or as we say in Shona, ‘Roora’. 

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TARIF: The Holy Ghost Bartender’s Africa Tour

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The Africa Review in Five highlights African current affairs from a Christian perspective. Listen and subscribe through Youtube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Today is Friday, September 15th, A.D. 2023. This is The Africa Review in Five, written by Paul Schlehlein and presented by Yamikani Katunga.

The Holy Ghost Bartender’s Africa Tour

Rodney Howard-Browne through Revival Ministries International has returned to his homeland for a 2023 Africa Tour. The popular charismatic preacher and evangelist has pastored in the United States since the 1990s, though he and his wife were born in the 1960s in South Africa and Zimbabwe, respectively. 

Revival Ministries is publicizing heavily his preaching tour and has cast the net wide on the continent. In just the months of September and October 2023, Howard-Browne will visit most of the major cities in southern Africa, including Addis Ababa, Ethiopia; Ekiti, Nigeria; Nairobi, Kenya; Lilongwe, Malawi; Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town, South Africa; Manzini, Eswatini; Swakopmund, Namibia; Lusaka, Zambia; Kampala, Uganda; and Gaborone, Botswana. 

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TARIF: Why Nations Should Educate Their Women

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The Africa Review in Five highlights African current affairs from a Christian perspective. Listen and subscribe through Youtube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Today is Friday, September 8th, A.D. 2023. This is The Africa Review in Five, written by Paul Schlehlein and presented by Yamikani Katunga.

Why Nations Should Educate Their Women

Literacy rates and per capita Gross Domestic Profit go hand in hand. In general, the more a country can read and write, the higher income that nation will earn. 

For example, according to World in Data 2018 statistics, Italy has a high GDP of over $42,000 per year and an equally high literacy rate of over 99%. Meanwhile, Afghanistan has a very low GDP of $1,500 per year and an equally low literacy rate of 37%. 

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TARIF: Oxen with Bad Reps as a Solution to Joburg Fires

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The Africa Review in Five highlights African current affairs from a Christian perspective. Listen and subscribe through Youtube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Today is Tuesday, September 5th, A.D. 2023. This is The Africa Review in Five, written by Paul Schlehlein and presented by Yamikani Katunga.

Oxen with Bad Reps as a Solution to Joburg Fires

In the early morning of August 31, flames erupted out in a five-story building in the CBD of Johannesburg, South Africa, eventually killing seventy-four people, including children, in one of the worst fire tragedies in recent memory. Some of the charred remains of bodies were laid in the public streets. 

Residents, family members, and media outlets immediately expressed outrage, believing that the fire could have easily been avoided. The building apparently belongs to the city of Joburg, once used by the courts and later as a shelter for abused women. But the building had become an overcrowded, temporary housing unit for migrants, just like scores of other buildings throughout the city. Gangs have since hi-jacked the premises and now do the rent collecting themselves. 

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TARIF: Zimbabwe and the Biblical Basis for Free Elections

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The Africa Review in Five highlights African current affairs from a Christian perspective. Listen and subscribe through Youtube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Today is Tuesday, August 29th, A.D. 2023. This is The Africa Review in Five, written by Paul Schlehlein and presented by Yamikani Katunga.

Zimbabwe and the Biblical Basis for Free Elections

Recent presidential elections in Zimbabwe have once again been encumbered by accusations of blatant and gigantic fraud. The official polls have declared Emmerson Mnangagwa the winner, making him president for another five years. This will be his second term in office. 

On Saturday, Zimbabwe’s Information Ministry stated the following: “The Zimbabwe Electoral Commission has announced the 2023 presidential election results. His Excellency President Emmerson Mnangagwa was declared the winner with 2,350,711 votes, consisting of 52.6% of the vote, followed by Nelson Chamisa of the Citizens Coalition for Change (CCC) party who scored 1,906,734, which is 44% of the vote.”

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TARIF: African Women in Combat

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The Africa Review in Five highlights African current affairs from a Christian perspective. Listen and subscribe through Youtube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Today is Friday, August 4th, A.D. 2023. This is The Africa Review in Five, written by Paul Schlehlein and presented by Yamikani Katunga.

African Women in Combat

Last month at the International Association of Women Police, Tanzanian Prime Minister Kassim Majaliwa urged the women of his country to take a greater role in fighting his nation’s problems with crime. Under the guise of “women’s empowerment”, the conference gathered thousands of senior women police officers from around Africa, from countries like Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, Zimbabwe, and Malawi. 

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TARIF: Gambling In Africa

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The Africa Review in Five highlights African current affairs from a Christian perspective. Listen and subscribe through Youtube, Apple Podcasts, or Spotify.

Today is Friday, June 30th, A.D. 2023. This is The Africa Review in Five, written by Paul Schlehlein and presented by Yamikani Katunga

Gambling in Africa

How should African Christians think about gambling? Is gambling a significant issue on the continent and does Scripture affirm or oppose it?

According to an Africa Business Insider article in March of 2023, the highest gambling markets in Africa are the countries of South Africa, Kenya, Ghana, Nigeria, and Uganda. In South Africa, though there are several dozen operational land casinos in the country, the most popular form of gambling is sports betting. Sports betting is also the most common form of gambling in Kenya. According to Statista, as of 2021, gambling among youth in Africa was highest in Kenya, with 84% saying they’ve participated in gambling.

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TARIF: Homosexuality Laws, Outlawing Protests, and Hyper-Inflation

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Today’s episode is HERE. The Africa Review in Five highlights African current affairs from a Christian perspective. Listen and subscribe through Youtube, Apple podcasts, or Spotify.

TRANSCRIPT

Today is Friday, June 2nd, A.D. 2023 and this is The Africa Review in Five, written by Paul Schlehlein and presented by Yamikani Katunga

Ugandan Courage

This week Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni signed into law restrictions on homosexual behavior. The law does not criminalize homosexuality per se, but does advocate strict penalties for “aggravated homosexuality”, defined as sodomite activity with a person having HIV, as well as minors or those that are vulnerable.

Many around the world have condemned Uganda’s stand against homosexuality, saying it is an attack on human rights. The United States in particular has threatened economic consequences, with President Joe Biden calling the new law “…a tragic violation of human rights—one that is not worthy of the Ugandan people, and one that jeopardizes the prospects of critical economic growth for the entire country.”

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