HARARE – Flamboyant preacher Prophet Uebert Angel has filed a complaint with the Voluntary Media Council of Zimbabwe accusing NewsDay of misquoting him in a story that was headlined “I’m Zanu PF — Uebert Angel declares.”
According to reports VMCZ media complaints committee chairperson Retired Justice George Smith wrote to NewsDay Editor Nevanji Madanhire to register Angel’s complaint.
Part of the letter read: “The VMCZ media complaints committee has received a complaint from Pastor Uebert Angel over two stories carried by the NewsDay on 24 and 25 February 2014 respectively headlined: I am Zanu PF — Uebert Angel declares and Uebert Angel torches storm.
“The complainant says that the news stories are malicious and incorrect. Mr Angel is also aggrieved by the usage of the name Mudzanire that he says has been officially changed to Angel and whose usage he states is illegal as it is not found on his particulars.”
In its defence NewsDay say they have an audio recording which has Prophet Angel saying:
“Critics will be there and stories will be written (that) Angel has been swallowed by Zanu PF as if they know where I was before. I was born to a Zanu PF father and we had a sister who campaigned for MDC, but we never fired her from home.
“I want to start by what the Bible says. It says in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. I want to encourage the youths to understand that one thing God did and will never do again is to create the earth.
“In other words, God has already finished creating land and is creating no more land. Since there is no more land being created, and there is an opportunity here that the government under this President has provided to the people.
“As youths, let’s be vigilant and let’s take that advantage and take what belongs to us. All we have is Zimbabwe. We are Zimbabweans and Zimbabwean problems can only be solved by Zimbabweans and a problem for an African can only be better solved by an African.”
The Spirit Embassy Church founder was alleged to have made the remarks during his speech at President Robert Mugabe’s 90th birthday celebration in Marondera last month.
According to reports VMCZ media complaints committee chairperson Retired Justice George Smith wrote to NewsDay Editor Nevanji Madanhire to register Angel’s complaint.
Part of the letter read: “The VMCZ media complaints committee has received a complaint from Pastor Uebert Angel over two stories carried by the NewsDay on 24 and 25 February 2014 respectively headlined: I am Zanu PF — Uebert Angel declares and Uebert Angel torches storm.
“The complainant says that the news stories are malicious and incorrect. Mr Angel is also aggrieved by the usage of the name Mudzanire that he says has been officially changed to Angel and whose usage he states is illegal as it is not found on his particulars.”
In its defence NewsDay say they have an audio recording which has Prophet Angel saying:
“Critics will be there and stories will be written (that) Angel has been swallowed by Zanu PF as if they know where I was before. I was born to a Zanu PF father and we had a sister who campaigned for MDC, but we never fired her from home.
“I want to start by what the Bible says. It says in the beginning God created the heaven and the earth. I want to encourage the youths to understand that one thing God did and will never do again is to create the earth.
“In other words, God has already finished creating land and is creating no more land. Since there is no more land being created, and there is an opportunity here that the government under this President has provided to the people.
“As youths, let’s be vigilant and let’s take that advantage and take what belongs to us. All we have is Zimbabwe. We are Zimbabweans and Zimbabwean problems can only be solved by Zimbabweans and a problem for an African can only be better solved by an African.”
