Prophets out-do each
other claiming all sorts of miracles to gain a following but one man has pulled
the big card and claimed to be God. Yes, God.
At the age of 27 Given Dube is addressed as “God” by his
followers at Umuzi ka Nkulunkulu (House of god) Church in Pumula South. According
to his congregants who spoke separately, the Holy Spirit descended on him.
“If I give you a cup full of Coca-Cola, will you say I gave
you a cup or you simply say you have been given a coke?
Dube is god because god’s spirit is in him,” said one of the
staunch followers, Wellington Siwela. His claims have been challenged by
some who have attended his church in the past because he lacks finesse.
“What kind of god insults his people? Go and see for
yourself,” said one of the former worshippers.
When B-Metro sat for an interview with the alleged god, he
was laid back and spoke with confidence. He alternated between being the human
being Given saying “I” but in other instances he would say “we” as if
representing a movement, and he said it was because he was god’s host, and as a
result one with him hence the use of the plural “we”.
“I am being used by a spirit which I cannot even see. I only
saw it in a vision once when it first appeared to me in 2008 when I was in
Chipinge for National Youth Service training.
“Since then, god speaks to me and I hear his voice and that
spirit uses me. For people to believe me I write everything down and that is
the holy book referred to as Uluju Lwezulu,” he said.
He punctuates the conversation with constant claims of him
being god who created heaven and earth and has power over all creation. As
if that is not enough, even in their holy book (seen by B-Metro) it is
indicated that it was written by god himself and it guides them in their daily
lives.
“I am god and do not need anyone to explain my word. I have
written this book and it guides people in their daily lives.
“When Jesus came to earth, not all people listened to him and
he was even killed. Now I have come, some have listened and I will guide them,”
said the soft spoken Dube.
When asked whether he could prophesy, he plainly stated that
as god, everything was always planned by him and all he just did was command
and things happen.
“I am the god and I plan. I just command and it happens. You also have to
understand that I don’t expect everyone to see me as their god, but they first
have to accept the word and understand, so only church members recognise me as
their god,” he said.
The other issue which has caused much controversy at Umuzi
kaNkulunkulu Church is Dube’s sexual orientation and whether he will ever
marry.
“There are some people who misquoted me after asking whether
as god I will ever get married. My answer to the man was ‘Kukhululekile ukuthi
thina singenza amacansi’ (Is it okay for us to have sex). He literally took it
that it was directed at him while in actual fact whenever I talk I say “we” as
in me and god.
“I later explained to the man and he understood, but those on
the mission of disturbing my works misquoted me and started throwing insults at
me saying I am crazy and not god.
“I just ignore them because I realised they were throwing
their insults directing them at Given Dube,” he said.
On marriage, Dube made it clear that it was not for human
beings to understand, but only known by the holy spirit. Dube grew up in
Bulawayo’s Nketa suburb and is a former member of Guta Ra Mwari. He
launched his church Umuzi kaNkulunkulu in 2008 and his parents also moved from
their church to join him.
He claims to have other church branches in South Africa and
the United States of America. Dube made it clear that he was not a
prophet, but god who created heaven and earth who even today commands different
things to happen.
“I command, I can stop diseases and wars in the world or even
command them to happen. This is a different belief from Christians who are
still waiting for the coming of Jesus, I am already here,” he declared.
Dube, unlike pastors and prophets, says he does not have
bodyguards and emphasises that Jesus’ chance came and passed as he returned to
Heaven, but it is now god himself talking to his people.
Dube revealed that he was not the first god as there were
some who were once used by the spirit, the first one being the founder of Guta
RaJehova, then after her death, the founder of Guta RaMwari and after his death
it was now him, the founder of Umuzi kaNkulunkulu.
It is said that when the chosen person dies, the
spirit picks a new host and when congregants do not believe it is the spirit’s
choice, it always leads god to open a new branch where he will have those who
obey his word.