By Fanuel Chinowaita
Mutare — A total of 160 church leaders from Zimbabwe, Mozambique and South Africa graduated on Friday at a National Strategy workshop on Resource Mobilisation and Financial Management held at The Platinum Leisure and Conference Centre in Mutare.
The graduation ceremony, hosted by Johane the 5th of Africa International Church under the leadership of Archbishop Dr Andby Makururu, marked the completion of a four-day training programme focused on leadership, financial literacy and financial management.
Speaking on behalf of the Minister of Women Affairs, Community, Small and Medium Enterprises Development, Honourable Senator Monica Mutsvangwa, Manicaland Provincial Development Officer Mr Gabriel Jaji said the initiative comes at a critical time as Zimbabwe moves towards achieving Vision 2030.
“This ceremony marks a pivotal moment as Zimbabwe accelerates towards becoming an upper middle-income society. This vision requires a whole-of-government and whole-of-society approach, with the Church playing a central role,” said Jaji.
He urged the graduates to apply the knowledge gained to stimulate economic growth within their communities.
“Channel the skills you have acquired to irrigate the fields of economic development so that our communities can realise tangible growth,” he said.
In a speech delivered on her behalf, Minister Mutsvangwa described the graduates as “agents of transformation,” underscoring the strategic role of the Church in national development.
“When the Church is transformed, the community is transformed, and ultimately the nation is transformed,” she said.
She noted that the training aligns with the National Development Strategy 2 (NDS2), Zimbabwe’s blueprint towards Vision 2030, which focuses on economic growth, governance and social development.
Minister Mutsvangwa explained that the programme was structured to build capacity from individual leaders to institutions and communities.
“A financially literate pastor raises a financially literate congregation, and a well-managed church becomes a sustainable institution capable of supporting community development initiatives,” she said.
She challenged the graduates, whom she referred to as the “Mutare 160,” to drive change in their respective communities.
“If each of you impacts just ten families, you will have transformed 1,660 families. That is the power of cascading capacity building,” she added.
Archbishop Dr Andby Makururu, founder and leader of Johane the 5th of Africa International Church, said the training programme was designed to produce responsible and accountable leaders equipped with both financial and cultural knowledge.
“This programme is meant to nurture leaders who are not only spiritually grounded but also capable of managing resources transparently and contributing meaningfully to national development,” he said.
The workshop brought together church leaders from across the region, reflecting growing regional collaboration in faith-based capacity building and economic empowerment initiatives.
The graduation is part of ongoing efforts to strengthen the role of the Church as a key partner in community development and economic transformation.
