Brenna Matendere
Harare—Chitungwiza residents have emerged victorious in a legal battle against controversial church leader Walter Magaya, after the High Court on Tuesday granted an interdict to halt his unauthorised development projects in the city.
Justice Rodgers Foroma Manyangadze delivered the ruling following an application by the Chitungwiza Residents Trust (CHITREST) last June, seeking to stop Magaya’s company, Wistmer Investments (Pvt) Ltd, from proceeding with a 10-year “smart and green city” project without municipal approval.
Magaya, leader of the Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries (PhD), had allegedly bypassed the Chitungwiza municipality, relying instead on controversial central government authorisation.
However, CHITREST argued that the projects violated due process and lacked proper approvals.
The court’s decision effectively bars Wistmer Investments from initiating any developments in Chitungwiza without following legal procedures.
CHITREST lawyer Innocent Simba Nderere of Scanlen and Holderness Legal Practitioners confirmed the ruling.
“The interdict has been granted. Magaya and the company have been interdicted from initiating any development whatsoever within Chitungwiza without approval and following due processes as required at law.
“So, effectively, the company cannot do anything unlawful or without following due processes,” he said.
From last year, the case had faced significant delays, with suspicions raised that Magaya may have bribed court officials to stall proceedings.
On 13 January 2025, lawyers representing CHITREST led by Nderere wrote to the High Court registrar, Joseph Mundondo, complaining about the slow pace of the case.
Mundondo buckled under pressure and set the 5 February as the hearing date.
Alice Kuvheya, CHITREST director, expressed relief at the judgment, calling it a “great day” for residents.
“For a long time, we were concerned about delays in the start of the hearing, but now that the judgment has been granted in our favour, we are satisfied,” she said.
The application highlighted that Wistmer Investments had persisted with developments despite the Chitungwiza municipality rejecting its master plan proposal in April last year.
All 33 councillors had opposed the plan, deeming the terms of the memorandum of agreement unfavourable to the town.
Kuvheya’s affidavit also accused the company of initiating an aquifer project in Jonasi Village, Seke, without council approval.
This ruling adds to Magaya’s mounting list of legal troubles.
He is currently embroiled in another corruption scandal in Bulawayo, where he allegedly defrauded congregants in a failed residential stands scheme.
The scheme, launched in 2016, promised to provide 1,000 residential stands at Danglasedale farm on the outskirts of Bulawayo.
Magaya, through his company Planet Africa, sold the plots for US$4,000 each on the promise that he would construct houses for the beneficiaries, including his church members.
The beneficiaries would make monthly mortgage installments based on the property’s value.
Documents obtained by News Hub show that the congregants made payments interchangeably to Planet Africa and the PHD Ministries offices, raising questions about the accountability of the project.
However, to date, the construction of the houses has not progressed as promised.
Recently, Magaya was disqualified from contesting for the presidency of the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) for failing to avail his Ordinary Level certificate as required.
He went to the High Court to challenge the disqualification but also lost.
The loss opened a can of worms, with UK-based journalist Maynard Manyowa establishing through an investigation that Magaya had falsely claimed that he held a marketing diploma and an honorary doctorate.
Manyowa is the lead producer for Dug Up, a UK start-up that produces documentaries and podcasts.
The Zimbabwe Anti-Corruption Commission (ZACC) recently commenced investigations into the reported fraud.