Walter Magaya, leader of the Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries, is once again facing accusations of defrauding his followers, this time through a failed residential stands project.
This adds to a growing list of controversies involving the prominent clergyman.
According to Newshubzim the housing scheme, launched in 2016 under Magaya’s company Planet Africa, promised to provide 1,000 residential plots at Danglasedale farm near Bulawayo. Congregants paid $4,000 per stand, with assurances that the organization would construct houses, allowing buyers to pay off the value of the properties through monthly mortgage installments. However, construction never began.
Documents reveal that payments were made to both Planet Africa and PHD Ministries, raising concerns about the project’s financial transparency. Many participants, including Willie Chidhlori, claim they sacrificed family assets to secure the stands, believing they were investing in larger, more valuable plots.
“We sold assets, and some even gave up their stands in high-density suburbs like Cowdray Park to afford these plots,” said Chidhlori.
Progress on the project ceased in 2017, despite most beneficiaries reportedly paying in full. According to Chidhlori, the church attributed the delays to the political uncertainty following Zimbabwe’s Operation Restore Legacy, which led to the removal of Robert Mugabe in late 2017. Members were urged to wait until after the 2018 elections, but no developments followed.
Subsequent years brought more excuses, including the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Church representatives claimed the pandemic disrupted finances, as congregants struggled to pay tithes.
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Several victims described the difficulty of retrieving their funds. “I’ve been shuttling between Bulawayo and Harare with no success,” said one participant, who noted that some members left the church in frustration, while others passed away without receiving their stands.
“We just want our money back. Magaya has the means to refund us,” the person added.
Efforts to contact Magaya’s spokesperson, Admire Mango, were unsuccessful, with requests for comment going unanswered.
This is not the first time Magaya has faced accusations over land schemes. In 2020, disgruntled followers in Cape Town demanded refunds after paying $1,000 to $4,000 each for undelivered plots. In 2019, he was implicated in a $900,000 land dispute involving Kalulu Farm in Goromonzi, and in 2021, a court ordered the sale of 3,232 hectares owned by Planet Africa to repay a $420,000 debt to a microfinance bank.
Beyond land issues, Magaya has faced allegations of sexual misconduct and controversies in other ventures, including a legal battle over his disqualification from running for the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) presidency.
Last week, High Court Justice Tawanda Chitapi reserved judgment in Magaya’s appeal against his disqualification, which stemmed from a failure to produce the required educational qualifications.
