Pastor left destitute after gambling away church tithes on ‘kandege’
HARARE — A church founder who once owned houses, cars, residential stands and a growing construction business says three years of gambling on the online game known locally as “kandege” has left him without property, income or a stable home.
Wellington Chinzara, 40, the founder of Power of the World Ministry, says he lost more than US$350,000 after becoming hooked on the fast-moving betting game, also known as Aviator. He says the losses included church offerings and tithes, money from his businesses and proceeds from the sale of property.
Chinzara, who comes from Headman Madziya’s area under Chief Mangwende in Murewa, now lives as a tenant in Kuwadzana, Harare. He says he owes nearly US$10,000 and is asking for help to rebuild his ministry, revive his construction company and find a permanent place to live.
“I started by attending various major churches in the country before founding my own, Power of the World Ministry. One day, I was misled by a fellow worshipper who took me to a gambling house in the city of Harare, claiming we should go ‘look for change.’ That is when I started playing ‘kandege,'” says Pastor Chinzara.
His first experience appeared to confirm the promise that draws many players into the game. He says he staked US$10 and won US$150 on his first day. The early win encouraged him to continue playing, but the losses soon began to outweigh the money he put in.
“I started enjoying the ‘kandege’ game and began taking church offerings, tithes, and other various funds. I also had my own pavement installation company, which eventually began to collapse. I owned houses, cars, and residential stands, all of which I started selling to find money to gamble,” says Pastor Chinzara.
He says he sold six cars during the three-year period. He also sold his house in Ushewokunze and residential stands in Glaudina, Murewa, Bhora and Goromonzi. The money, he says, was repeatedly channelled into betting in the hope of recovering earlier losses.
The collapse spread beyond his finances. Power of the World Ministry had expanded to Machipisa in Highfield, White House in Harare and Chitungwiza, but worshippers began leaving after the church funds were exhausted. His landscaping and construction enterprise, Skylands Landscaping, also failed.
“Worshippers began to flee the church once I had finished the church’s money. My own family, including my wife and children, began to distance themselves. My company, Skylands Landscaping, eventually collapsed,” he said.
Chinzara says the breakdown of his personal life followed the loss of his businesses and property. He lost his first wife and later married again. His second wife now lives in the rural areas of Murewa, while their two children are struggling with the consequences of his gambling.
“During this time, I lost my first wife. I later took another wife, who currently lives in the rural areas in Murewa. I have two children. They are all struggling because of the current situation,” says Pastor Chinzara.
He describes himself as living in abject poverty and says he has become a figure of ridicule among people who knew him when his church and businesses were thriving.
“Everything I did goes against the commandments of the Bible. It was simply a matter of being deceived. I am asking for a helping hand so I can revive my ministry, restart my construction company, find a place to live, and lead a good life again. I have become the laughing stock of the nation,” he says.
Chinzara also says the pressure has affected his mental health. He admits that he sometimes thinks about taking his own life because of the difficulty of his circumstances.
“Right now, I have no relatives left because of gambling. My organization collapsed. I just want help to get back on my feet,” he said.
His experience comes as Zimbabwe continues to record cases in which people lose borrowed money, family savings and workplace funds through Aviator-style betting. The game is built around a virtual plane that rises as a multiplier increases. Players must cash out before the plane disappears. If they wait too long, the entire stake can be lost in seconds.
Other cases have involved the use of money entrusted to employees. In one case, a Reserve Bank of Zimbabwe general hand admitted stealing US$1,500 from an office and losing the entire amount on Aviator. He was later sentenced to an effective 36 months in prison.
In another case, a cashier at a Bindura hypermarket stole US$49,437 over several weeks by depositing less money than he collected and falsifying cash records. The money was spent on the same virtual betting game. He received an effective four-year prison sentence after the court suspended part of the term on condition that he repaid the stolen funds.
The Lotteries and Gaming Board says gambling should be treated as entertainment rather than a way to make money. The board regulates the gaming industry under the Lotteries and Gaming Act and says its role includes promoting fairness, transparency, accountability and social responsibility. It also states that gambling is prohibited for anyone under the age of 18.
National police spokesperson Commissioner Paul Nyathi has warned members of the public to stay away from gambling, saying some people have gone as far as taking their own lives after losing their wealth.
Chinzara now wants his story to serve as a warning to others who believe one early win can solve their financial problems. He says the first US$150 he won after staking US$10 made the game appear harmless, but the pursuit of bigger wins eventually consumed his church, businesses, property and family life.
He says he is not asking for money to return to gambling. He wants assistance to settle his debts, restart honest work, restore his ministry and regain a measure of stability for his children. His warning to the public is direct: the game may begin with a small stake, but the losses can reach far beyond the betting account.
“I just want help to get back on my feet,” he said.
The pastor’s fall from church founder and business owner to a tenant struggling with debt has added a personal face to Zimbabwe’s growing Kandege problem. For him, the virtual plane did not simply carry away individual bets. It took away the assets and relationships built over years, leaving him to seek a second chance after the money ran out.