MUTARE - Zanu (PF) top officials and CIO operatives desperately arranged meetings with the leader of Marange apostles, Taguta Marange, for the sect not to send representatives to the recently ended meeting between the Prime Ministers office and Apostolic Sects, it has been revealed.
A highly placed source in the Marange Sect, told The Zimbabwean that a team allegedly led by Zanu (PF) Minister of Health, David Parirenyatwa and CIO agents, arranged a meeting with the apostles church here, ahead of the Harare conference.
CIO operatives based in Mutare, prepared the meeting before arrival of Parirenyatwa and his high powered 28 man delegation into this eastern border town. They booked at the Holiday Inn and invited Taguta Marange for a meeting at the Hotel. Taguta refused to meet them. The Apostles Leader suggested he could meet only eight of Parirenyatwas men at a venue of his choice. He suggested a venue but did not go there, sending his son instead.
The son expressed concern at government sending of policemen at shrines to force members to vaccinate children. He accused the police of disrespectfully disrupting church services. Following CIO and Zanu (PF)s influence, Marange Junior, indicated the sect was prepared to speak with officials from President Robert Mugabes office only. Zanu (PF) had influenced the sect to resist efforts by the Prime Ministers office, to vaccinate children against their religious doctrine. Zanu (PF) intended to spruce up its shattered image and support base at the expense of lives of apostles, the source said.
The meeting dubbed Programme for The National Stakeholder Consultative Conference on Measles and Vaccine Preventable Diseases, resolved that children must be given their right to health care. Apostles indicated they were not against child immunization, but the way it was applied on them by government. Members of the sects are free to immunize children. On coming to church, they have to confess immunization of their children, so that they get cleansed. The cleansing is necessary because vaccination of children is against our apostolic doctrine, said a senior sect member.
Ministry of Health officials will work with leaders of apostolic sects, during the May 24-June 2 vaccination exercise. The programme will cover children in the 6 to 14 years age group. Defiance to vaccinate children will attract a jail sentence ranging between six months to five years.
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