Very Powerful and Popular Prophet Magaya derails Pastor Charamba concert

Charles and Olivia Charamba normally attract the biggest crowds in Zimbabwean gospel music but their pulling power proved no match to Walter Magaya’s Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries last Sunday.

Zimbabwe’s gospel music’s first family held a family show at Takashinga Cricket Club in Highfield suburb at the same time Magaya was conducting his Sunday service just a few kilometres away.

The Charambas’ family show, organised by Body Slam Entertainment, attracted an uncharacteristically low turnout.

Simba Chakare, the director of the promoters, told the Daily News that holding a family show on a day meant for Magaya’s Sunday proved counter-productive.

“Our concert clashed with Magaya’s Big Sunday service where he was issuing free anointing oil bottles to thousands of people,” said Chakare.

“With the benefit of hindsight, we should have held our family show on another day.”

While there was only a handful of fans at the Charambas’ family show, the PHD Ministries Big Sunday Service reportedly attracted over a 100 000 people.

Apart from the effect of Magaya’s service, some people argued that the concert by the popular gospel couple had been poorly marketed.

“I was not aware that the Charambas had a concert here at Takashinga. I heard the sound of music playing but I thought it was a church service.

“I think the promoters of the show were complacent. They did not market the family show well because they assumed that people would still come all the same because of the popularity of the Charambas,” said a local resident identified as Shepherd Munyuni.

Another local resident who declined to be identified claimed that some gospel fans left prematurely because security personnel at the venue used excessive force.

“The unprofessional behaviour exhibited by the security at the event was very unfortunate because some fans left the venue feeling violated,” she said.

Despite playing before a paltry crowd, Zimbabwe’s most famous gospel music couple took the opportunity to market their latest album WeNazareta. They belted out a number of songs from the album such as Kukunamatai, Ndiwe, Men of David, NaJehovah Zvinoita, Glory To Jehovah, Mugamuchire, Ndinochemera Jesu, Tsitsi Nyasha Nemutsa and Munopindura.

They also excited the handful of fans in attendance with old hits like Ndoga Handimire and Rute.

Source: Daily News