Mwazha Church Succession Latest: Polygamy Disqualifies Eldest Sons from Leadership

The African Apostolic Church, a cornerstone of indigenous Zimbabwean
faith affectionately known as the “White Army,” is facing a
devastating leadership crisis following the late 2025 passing of its
107-year-old founder, Archbishop Ernest Paul Mwazha. What was meant to
be a seamless transition of spiritual legacy has instead devolved into
a bitter dynastic war.

At the center of this sacred rift is the disqualification of the
Archbishop’s eldest sons. Built on strict principles of monogamy and
holiness, the church code explicitly forbids multiple marriages. Yet,
insiders reveal the eldest heirs disqualified themselves through their
lifestyles. The firstborn previously defected to the Johanne Marange
church to marry four wives, while the second was expelled after taking
another spouse, only returning when the struggle for power began.
Consequently, five years before his death, the Archbishop officially
designated his younger, monogamous son, Tawanda Mwazha, as his
rightful successor to protect the church’s sanctity.

This transition, however, has triggered an aggressive rebellion.
Defiant factions, allegedly allied with former Secretary General Juru
and prominent transport mogul Mukumba, are accused of launching a
clerical coup. This bitter feud recently escalated into violence when
alleged hired thugs disrupted a service led by rival faction leader
Akigai in Hatfield. Mukumba has vehemently denied these claims,
dismissing them as malicious attempts to tarnish his business
reputation.

While the Zimbabwean Supreme Court has intervened, ordering a return
to the church’s original 1948 constitution, legal rulings have failed
to restore peace. Instead, defiance of court injunctions continues to
fracture the once-united movement. The very lineage that built this
spiritual empire now threatens its ruin, leaving millions of
white-robed followers to watch in heartbreak as their beloved
institution teeters on the brink of collapse.