Walter Magaya Biography| Age, PHD Ministries, Yadah FC, Controversies
Walter Magaya is a Zimbabwean religious leader. He is renowned as the founder of Prophetic Healing Deliverance Ministries (PHD).
He first gained national attention in 2012, following his visit to the late T.B. Joshua (of SCOAN), who is believed to have anointed him as a “prophet.”
Background
Walter Magaya was born on November 6, 1983, in Mhondoro Ngezi, and spent his childhood in Chitungwiza.
Before founding PHD Ministries, Magaya was a member of the Catholic Charismatic group known as the Blood of the Lamb Christian Community (BLCC) for several years.
Sadly, in January 2020, Magaya’s father, Freddy Muvirimi, passed away at the age of 59. Muvirimi had been unwell since 2009, but his condition deteriorated after the family was attacked and assaulted by armed robbers at their Waterfalls home in 2019.
Magaya revealed in an interview that his father’s lungs were damaged during the attack, which ultimately worsened his health.
Muvirimi passed away at Dandaro Hospital in Borrowdale around midday on Thursday, January 23, 2020.
Wife And Children
Walter Magaya is married to Tendai Magaya (née Katsiga), who is a banker by profession.
Together, they are parents to two sons named Yadah Makanaka and Walter Junior.
Prophetic Healing And Deliverance Ministries (PHD)
Prophet Magaya launched his ministry in 2012 after returning from Nigeria, where he had a “transformative encounter” with the late prophet T.B. Joshua.
Since then, Magaya has gained a reputation for performing miracles that have drawn the attention of many people.
Magaya has shared that he tried out various ventures before recognizing that ministry was his true calling.
Controversies
Aguma
In October 2018, Magaya made a controversial announcement to his congregation and later in a press conference that he had discovered a cure for HIV and Cancer.
He stated that the cure had been discovered two years earlier, but he had waited for it to be “chemically proven, scientifically proven” before making the announcement.
2016 Rape Charges and Affair With Church Member
In August 2016, Walter Magaya was arrested on rape charges following allegations that he had sexually assaulted an MSU student, Petronella Donhodzo Mandaza, at one of his residences in Harare and later given her $200.
He was released on bail in the amount of US $2,000 and was scheduled to appear in court for trial.
Magaya had indicated just days earlier that he was the target of extortion, and some of his supporters suggested that the rape allegations were fabricated to discredit him.
In November 2016, Donhodzo attempted to withdraw the rape charges. The state decided, however, to proceed with the trial.
The matter is still pending.
Stands
In July 2016, Magaya’s construction company, Planet Africa, signed a memorandum of agreement with the Ministry for a 300-hectare piece of land.
According to documents, Planet Africa paid a deposit of US$100,000 on August 10th. However, on August 17th, all offer letters were withdrawn by Minister Saviour Kasukuwere, except for Magaya’s company.
There have been allegations that the minister had an “improper relationship” with the prophet and subsequently offered land reserved for Zanu-PF youths to Planet Africa.
Killer Crusade
In November 2014, Magaya hosted a church crusade in Kwekwe. Unfortunately, during the event, a stampede occurred as people rushed to access anointing oil, resulting in the death of 11 people.
Some media outlets accused the police of closing all exits except for one, which made it difficult for people to escape.
Walter Magaya And Beverly Sibanda
Sometime in 2014, Prophet Magaya “converted” a well-known exotic dancer Beverly Sibanda to his church. To support her transition away from pole dancing, Prophet Magaya opened a boutique for Beverly to make a living.
Unfortunately, their relationship ended abruptly after three months when Beverly was reportedly assaulted by Prophet Magaya’s security personnel.
Tax Evasion
In 2019, the Zimbabwe Revenue Authority (Zimra) reportedly garnished Walter Magaya’s Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries accounts over alleged tax arrears totaling $22 million.
This came after Zimra had conducted audits of Magaya’s earnings and other business ventures, including a hotel owned by the church, a tile manufacturing factory, and a farming operation.
In 2018, Zimra raided Magaya’s church twice in an attempt to investigate his finances.
Yadah FC
In 2005, Cuthbert Chitima founded Gunners, which later became known as Yadah FC when it was acquired by Walter Magaya in 2014.
Magaya initially entered into a partnership with the team’s president at the time, Cuthbert Chitima, and as a result, the team was rebranded as Yadah Gunners.
