The Sunday News
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
PRESIDENT Mnangagwa is today expected to grace the fourth Annual National Thanksgiving and Dedication Service at the Zimbabwe International Trade Fair (ZITF) grounds, an event that has since its inception hosted thousands of congregants from across the country.
Reverend Andrew Wutaunashe founder of the Family of God Church and chairman of Faith for the Nation Campaign-an inter-denominational grouping of local churches that convenes the event, said it was the President’s service annually.
The President has only skipped one service where he sent Vice-President Constantine Chiwenga to represent him.
“This is the fourth service of the National Thanksgiving and Dedication Service that was agreed with the churches and the President that the last Sunday of the year they gather people of all denominations and sectors of society to acknowledge in thanksgiving to the Lord, for help in the things achieved in 2020 or past year.
“In every one of these services, we are hoping to capture the concept of the King and the prophets in the word of God, that the King presents the nation before the Lord. This is why all the services are actually the President’s services as the guest of honour. He is coming tomorrow to officiate and our keynote address will be delivered by him,” said Rev Wutaunashe.
He said the President is going to also speak on the gains of the nation thus far as well as what should be prayed for moving forward, also spelling out how the church should be involved in the vision of the nation.
This year the theme is focused on celebrating national achievements and towards achieving the national vision of being an upper middle-class economy by 2030.
“We are going to be celebrating the things which we are visibly seeing in the nation that God has helped us in the past year.
We are seeing a good harvest and booming agriculture and results of devolution together with other gains in the economy,” said Rev Wutaunashe.
The President called for fasting and praying earlier in June 2020, where all church leaders were invited to the State House to pray over the Covid-19 pandemic.
“From this we also see that there has been help from the Lord in this regard such that even the World Health Organisation (WHO) are acknowledging that what is happening in Zimbabwe over Covid-19 is extraordinary. We have brought together all denominations and umbrella church organisations which have been praying together with the President since June, they are also coming to give thanks to the Lord,” said Rev Wutaunashe.
Gospel musicians such as Mambo Dhuterere, Family Voices, Vabati VaJehova and a number of other local artistes will provide entertainment and a good worship experience to the gathering.
“The important thing is to remember our people; we want them to be present in their numbers and very careful precautionary measures have been taken with regards to Covid-19. We expect people who are going to attend to come with their masks. However, those without we will provide at the gate,” said Rev Wutaunashe.
Commenting on the President’s attendance the Minister of State for Bulawayo Provincial Affairs and Devolution, Cde Judith Ncube said: “As Bulawayo we are happy to have the President here annually in the city, we are grateful to be with him on every last Sunday of December.
We see this as a blessing to be praying with our President, to thank God for all he has done for us. Most importantly we want to thank God for the protection that we have been receiving during the Covid-19 pandemic which spread all over the world and stopped a lot of things.”
Cde Ncube said the city was ready to host the annual thanksgiving and dedication service.-@NyembeziMu
