Makandiwa monopolising council property

Harare City Council summoned Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa this week to discuss his monopoly of a local council property.

Mayor Muchadeyi Masunda on Tuesday met with founder of United Family International Church (UFIC) Makandiwa over monopolisation of City Sports Centre.

"Prophet Makandiwa visited my office on Tuesday to discuss mutual interests, that is the use of City Sports Centre.

"As City of Harare we are very pleased with the use that UFI church is making of the City Sports Centre facilities for religious services virtually every Sunday.

"We must however take due cognisance of other stakeholders who want to use that same facility from time to time," Masunda said.

UFIC has been using the council property which is located behind Harare Exhibition Park for close to four years now and has been forced to erect tents as the followers subdued its capacity.

Masunda said council and UFIC agreed on a joint team to administer the use of premises for the benefit of both parties.

"We have put together a joint team that will work towards achieving a win-win situation," he said.

He said issues involving UFIC needed to be handled with due care because of its huge following and spiritual service to Harare residents.

"UFIC is not an organisation to be sneezed at, not only in terms of its sheer size but also the pivotal role of fulfilling the spiritual needs of our stakeholders within greater Harare," he said.

Makandiwa, who founded UFIC in 2008, has on two occasions filled the giant National Sports Stadium which has a capacity of 60 000 and commands respect of politicians from across the divide who are trying to eat into his popularity.

The mayor was quick to point out the meeting was strictly business and had nothing to do with spiritual matters.

"Let me hasten to say Makandiwa's visit is meant to address matters of mutual interests only and has nothing to do with me seeking divine intervention for the extension of my stint as mayor of Harare as some
cynics may wish to speculate," Masunda said.

In a move to accommodate his ever-growing flock, the youthful prophet recently found himself embroiled in a land wrangle with Zengeza residents who disputed acquisition processes which saw him building a 30 000 seater church.

The matter which was heard before the High Court, ended in favour of Makandiwa with Justice Tedius Karwi ruling that an application challenging the construction was not urgent.

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