BY KENNETH NYANGANI LEADER of the Johanne Masowe echishanu (The Fifth of Africa) Andby Makururu has handed over food hampers and personal protective equipment to widows from his church in Mutare as a way of keeping them in their homes during the COVID-19 pandemic. Makururu is highly-credited as the first leader of an indigenous apostolic sect church in the country to take a stance against child marriages and advocating for women’s rights. He donated the food hampers yesterday through Ruvheneko Rwenyenyedzi Trust (RRT), an organ of his church. In an interview with NewsDay Weekender, the church leader said he was aware that some widows were facing challenges in the lockdown. “I am encouraging my church members to stay at home and take precautionary measures against COVID-19. Please observe the precautionary measures which were introduced by the government. Since I advocate for women through Ruvheneko Rwenyenyedzi Trust (RRT), we have donated food hampers to widows in my church and some less privileged people,” he said. “We have a data base of widows in my church and you are aware some of them survived on selling or they are informal traders. So during the lockdown, they are not operating. “As a prophet, I am continuing to pray for this virus to end, only God has the answer. Most women in my church joined hands with the First Lady Auxillia Mnangagwa in fasting recently so that this COVID-19 will not continue to wreak havoc.” The church leader who has various centres across the country said sometimes he was using various mobile platforms to buy food hampers to observe the lockdown. Recently, Canadian ambassador to Zimbabwe, Rene Cremenese applauded Makururu’s efforts in promoting women and girls’ rights. He was the guest of honour on the launch of the church’s gender justice programme. He has also been donating reading books for disadvantaged children in countrywide in a move aimed to keep them occupied and drive them away from negative social vices such as drug abuse, theft and prostitution in the current lockdown. He said children are tempted to engage in such vices in the current lockdown. Follow Kenneth on Twitter @KennethNyangan1