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Zanu PF presidential hopefuls turn to prophets, church for endorsement
As the sun sets over Harare, casting long shadows across the capital’s political corridors, a quieter contest is unfolding beyond the glare of party rallies and policy debates. It is being waged not in parliament or at Zanu PF headquarters, but in prayer rooms, private altars and candle-lit sanctuaries where incense hangs thick in the air and whispers of destiny mingle with prophecy.
As the succession battle to President Emmerson Mnangagwa slowly gathers momentum, Zimbabwe’s aspirant leaders are reportedly turning to prophets and spirit mediums, seeking not just political alliances but spiritual endorsement for the country’s highest office. In a nation where faith and politics have long danced an uneasy waltz, the prophetic word is once again becoming a powerful campaign tool.
Zanu PF insiders say competing camps are quietly canvassing for prophets willing to “see a crown” resting on a chosen head, a divine seal meant to tilt the scales ahead of the party’s crucial 2027 elective congress. Behind closed doors, candidates are said to be shopping for visions, dreams and revelations that can be packaged for public consumption.
“We have intelligence coming through of people hoping to lead the country seeking the services of prophets,” said a senior party official, speaking on condition of anonymity. “One candidate has reached out to a popular preacher to allege that he saw his leadership in the spiritual realm. This is meant to hoodwink the gullible masses into supporting their bid.”
According to sources, the search for spiritual legitimacy has spilled beyond Zimbabwe’s borders. Presidential hopefuls are reportedly travelling to Zambia, Ghana, Nigeria, Angola and the Democratic Republic of Congo countries with influential prophetic movements in pursuit of divine validation.
“We have some leaders who have engaged prophets from Angola,” said another source. “There is even someone staying in the country from Angola, quietly assisting one of those who want to become president.”
These spiritual manoeuvres are unfolding against a backdrop of uncertainty at the top. Mnangagwa, now 83, has publicly stated that he will retire in 2028. Yet his loyalists continue to drum up calls for him to stay on until 2030, pushing for constitutional amendments that would extend his rule. Officially, the party insists it is merely reviewing the constitution. Unofficially, ambition is stirring.
While the succession script appears straightforward Vice President Constantino Chiwenga is widely seen as the natural heir, the plot is thickening. Mnangagwa’s backers are reportedly wary of the retired army commander and would prefer fresh faces to emerge, including politically connected business tycoon Kudakwashe Tagwirei.
In this fluid environment, prophecy becomes both weapon and shield. A declaration from a revered prophet can ignite popular support, silence rivals, and cloak ambition in divine authority. It can also delegitimise opponents, framing political contestation as rebellion against God’s will.
“We are watching from afar to see which prophets will be used through financial inducement to make declarations that a certain candidate is endorsed by God to lead Zimbabwe,” said another insider, hinting at a marketplace where faith, money and power intersect.
Zimbabwe’s recent history offers a cautionary tale. In 2016, flamboyant preacher Shepherd Bushiri famously prophesied, “I see a crown.” A year later, following a dramatic military intervention, the former Beitbridge East MP ascended to the second most powerful position in the land. To believers, it was proof of prophetic accuracy. To sceptics, it was coincidence wrapped in theatrics.
Yet in a country where more than 70% of the population identifies as Christian, the power of prophecy cannot be dismissed. Churches are not merely places of worship; they are social hubs, opinion shapers and, increasingly, political kingmakers. A single prophetic utterance, amplified through pulpits and social media, can sway public sentiment faster than any policy manifesto.
For the faithful, prophecy offers certainty in uncertain times a sense that leadership is ordained, not negotiated. For politicians, it offers a shortcut to legitimacy, bypassing factional battles and ideological scrutiny.
As Zimbabwe edges closer to another defining political transition, the struggle for power is being fought on multiple fronts: in party structures, in boardrooms, and now, increasingly, in the spiritual realm. Whether these prophetic endorsements will shape the country’s future or merely reflect its anxieties remains to be seen.
What is clear is that in Zimbabwe’s politics, the road to State House may no longer run only through ballots and barracks but also through prayer lines, prophetic visions and whispered promises of a crown yet to be worn.
