President Mnangagwa has mourned the death of the founder of Zimbabwe Assemblies of God Africa (ZAOGA) Forward in Faith Ministries Archbishop Professor Ezekiel Guti.
He described the late evangelist as a humble man of deep scriptural convictions and the rare example of excelling in practical faith and the deep humanity which he personified.
Archbishop Professor Guti died on Wednesday at the age of 100.
In a special announcement on Ezekiel TV channel on Wednesday night, ZAOGA national executive chairman Apostle Joseph Guti said Archbishop Professor Guti had “been promoted to great glory”.
“To the Zaoga Forward in Faith International executive, the national councils of various nations, leaders, and the precious saints, I hereby announce to us the promotion to glory of our great iconic leader, Archbishop Professor Ezekiel Handinawangu Guti.
“It is with heavy hearts and deep sorrow that we announce the promotion to great glory of our dearly beloved spiritual father, visionary . . . ” said Apostle Guti.
He called on church members to “pray for our mother”, Apostle Eunor Guti, during this difficult moment. Church members and all others have been advised not to make any travel arrangements until further announcements are made.
In May, President Mnangagwa joined the now-late Archbishop Professor Guti and thousands of church congregants drawn from across the globe for his centenary celebration at the Glamis Arena in Harare.
In a statement on Thursday evening, President Mnangagwa said the death of Archbishop Professor Guti left him deeply shattered, saddened, and has left the nation poorer.
“The news of the passing on yesterday (Wednesday) of Archbishop Dr. Ezekiel Handinawangu Guti left me deeply shattered and saddened. Nearly two months ago, on May 14, I joined countless congregants of the Zimbabwe Assemblies of God Africa, ZAOGA Forward in Faith, and many eminent Zimbabweans in celebrating 100 years of his devout life so eventfully lived,” said the President.
“Beyond celebrating the gift of life, we, in unison, basked in the joy and belief that our Nation stood uniquely blest and favored by the Almighty to have in its midst such a great figure who personified longevity, tenacious faith, compassion, and a givenness to serving mankind, especially in the broad areas of human development, as never witnessed before. Sadly, that joy has now turned short-lived, leaving our Nation all the poorer and plunged in profound grief.”
President Mnangagwa described Archbishop Professor Guti as a person who dedicated his life to the betterment of society as witnessed by the various institutions he built over the years.
“A humble man of deep scriptural convictions, Archbishop Dr Ezekiel Guti lived his Faith. Today his works and footprints indelibly abound across the length and breadth of our Nation, well beyond the vast, national movement of congregants and places of worship that he led. He built institutions and led interventions that positively impacted the social life of the broad citizenry of our Nation,” said the President.
He said Archbishop Professor Guti was a strong proponent of education for his African brethren.
“Dr. Guti leaves behind countless educational institutions which he painstakingly built and incrementally scaffolded, leading to the iconic Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University. Never has so much been developed and achieved from so little, only compensated for by so big a heart, so abundant faith, and sheer determination.
“Today the Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University ranks high among private institutions which dispense higher education to our Nation, and certainly stands apart as the only one founded and developed from efforts of indigenous Pentecostal evangelism,” said President Mnangagwa.
He said Zimbabwe will celebrate a rare example of excelling practical faith and the deep humanity which the late evangelist personified.
Below is President Mnangagwa’s full statement.
“The news of the passing on yesterday of Archbishop Dr. Ezekiel Handinawangu Guti left me deeply shattered and saddened. Nearly two months ago, on May 14, I joined countless congregants of the Zimbabwe Assemblies of God Africa, ZAOGA Forward in Faith, and many eminent Zimbabweans in celebrating 100 years of his devout life so eventfully lived. Beyond celebrating the gift of life, we, in unison, basked in the joy and belief that our Nation stood uniquely blest and favored by the Almighty to have in its midst such a great figure who personified longevity, tenacious faith, compassion, and a givenness to serving mankind, especially in the broad areas of human development, as never witnessed before. Sadly, that joy has now turned short-lived, leaving our Nation all the poorer and plunged in profound grief.
A humble man of deep scriptural convictions, Archbishop Dr. Ezekiel Guti lived his Faith. Today his works and footprints indelibly abound across the length and breadth of our Nation, well beyond the vast, national movement of congregants and places of worship that he led. He built institutions and led interventions that positively impacted the social life of the broad citizenry of our Nation. A strong proponent of education for his African brethren, Dr. Guti leaves behind countless educational institutions that he painstakingly built and incrementally scaffolded, leading to the iconic Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University. Never has so much been developed and achieved from so little and slander means, only compensated for by so big a heart, so abundant faith, and sheer determination. Today the Zimbabwe Ezekiel Guti University ranks high among private institutions which dispense higher education to our Nation and certainly stands apart as the only one founded and developed from efforts of indigenous Pentecostal evangelism.
In the health sector, the Mbuya Dorcas Hospital which Dr. Guti and Amai, Apostle Eunor Guti, founded, is prominent in national health delivery, forever testimony to how a Couple of deep faith saves many thus becoming a wonderful blessing to a people and a whole Nation.
As our hearts grieve over Dr Guti’s sad demise, still we celebrate a life well lived and the numerous wondrous gifts of social development he bequeathed to our Nation. Above all, we cherish the rare example of excelling practical faith and the deep humanity which he personified.
On behalf of our Nation which he served with all his heart and soul, that of Government, my Family, and on my behalf, I wish to express my deepest, heartfelt condolences to the Zimbabwean Church Fraternity, and the Guti Family, especially to Apostle Eunor Guti and the children, on this their saddest loss. May they derive solace and comfort from the knowledge that our Nation which is immeasurably indebted to the late departed, stands with them during this hour el, deep grief and bereavement, and will forever be inspired by Dr Guti’s deep faith and indelible works whose wholesome impact on numerous lives is already recorded, and will remain assured across generations to come.
We beseech God the Almighty to grant this great man eternal rest in the life beyond.”
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