United Family International Church leader Prophet Emmanuel Makandiwa has said he will not register with the Zimbabwe Traditional Medical Council because he is neither a traditional medical practitioner nor a spirit medium. 

Prophet Makandiwa was responding to recent press reports that he and other prophets were compelled to register with the council in accordance with the Traditional Medical Practitioners Act.

Speaking through his lawyers, Mushangwe and Company, Prophet Makandiwa said the Traditional Medical Practitioners Act was designed to regulate traditional medical practitioners and spirit mediums.
“Prophet Makandiwa is not a medical practitioner. He is a minister of religion who was annointed to preach the Word and where grace abounds miracles like healing, deliverance and blessing will also be palpable,” said the lawyers.

They said Prophet Makandiwa did not use any traditional methods, but “He relies on the Bible and does not depart from it either to the left or right.” They said Prophet Makandiwa never held himself or purported to be a traditional medical practitioner or a spirit medium and had never used the name, title or symbol of traditional medical practitioner.

“You will note that Section 31 of the Act, which defines the practice of a traditional medical practitioner does not cover Prophet Makandiwa in that he does not practice or carry on business as a traditional medical practitioner or spirit medium,” the lawyers said. “He is just a minister of religion gifted in preaching the word, prophecy and deliverance.” 

Makandiwa’s lawyers are convinced that the Traditional Medical Practitioners Act was never designed to deal with Christian ministries “or religion and the impartation of healing through faith during services. Christianity does not fall under the same banner of traditional practices.”

Christianity, they said, was a religion that was exotic to the indigenous people and brought to local shores by missionaries from Europe, who had received the gospel from the Jewish people. 

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