HARARE – The Supreme Court on Friday finally settled the nasty leadership wrangle in the Apostolic Faith Mission (AFM) after dismissing an appeal by Cossam Chiyangwa, who was challenging the appointment of Amon Madawo as the head of the church in Zimbabwe.

Madawo was declared the legitimate AFM leader in 2019 by High Court judge Justice David Mangota, prompting Chiyangwa to appeal.

The dispute spilled into the courts in 2018 after the church’s former president Aspher Madziyire – who supports Madawo – and his then deputy split.

The Supreme Court bench, chaired by Justice Samuel Kudya, upheld the High Court judgment Friday saying Chiyangwa’s appeal lacked merit, slapping him with costs.

“In regards to the second issue another dictum of the court aquo that the applicant did conjoin the main relief that they sought in the second application with the consequential relief of an interdict cum vindication was incorrect,” ruled Justice Kudya.

“However, as the fifth ground of appeal which related to this issue was improperly conceived, it is struck out… Accordingly, it is ordered that the fifth ground of appeal is hereby struck out. The appeal be and is hereby dismissed in its entirety with costs.”

In the High Court judgment, Mangota ruled that Chiyangwa’s and his group must reverse all decisions they had taken on behalf of the church; return all property, and stop presenting themselves as the leadership.

They were also stopped from accessing or using any assets or property of any kind belonging to the church.

Following his victory, Madawo said: The court dismissed the appeal by Chiangwa and others concerning their claim that they are legitimate leaders of the AFM in Zimbabwe. What that means is that all that they were doing since the 22nd of September 2019 was illegal.

“Going forward, legitimate leadership of the church will follow due process in implementing the orders of the court including running the places of worship and recovering control of the church’s assets.”

Chiyangwa on the other hand issued a statement telling his followers to keep the church properties in their possession, claiming the Supreme Court ruling was silent on that.

He said they would explore other options, adding the ruling “can be a blessing in disguise.”

“This is what we have always said ‘kurwirwa kana kusarwirwa’ we will not succumb to the new reformed and draconian Constitution. Thus why we have always said, we won long ago, on the 22nd September 2018, when we categorically refused and rejected the New Constitution and its sponsors, there is no other better win for us,” Chiyangwa said.

“That was the ultimate win. Let your hearts not be troubled, believe in God, and trust your leadership. Do not panic, as usual, your leadership is in full control, do not move out of Church buildings, nor surrender any Assets prematurely. It is, however, prudent and encouraged that those in the Church building and Mission house should urgently start looking for alternative places of worship and accommodation.

“We are not abandoning the Ship, stay put, we moving on, do not be shaken, we on the move, united we stand as we gladly move forward,” he added.

Chiyangwa’s secretary-general Nathan Nhira also said they were “re-constituting”.

“We are still part of AFM International and hence we can still use the logo again until AFM International excludes us from its affiliate membership, then we will design an appropriate Logo and move on to establish our own International forum,” Nhira said.