REVEREND Oscar Mukahanana, who took his life after some intimate details emerged that he had sex with a member of his congregation, was the THIRD most senior member in the United Methodist Church in Zimbabwe.
He was buried at Zororo Cemetery just outside Chitungwiza yesterday.
He went to the United Theological College in 2003 and was ordained in 2007.
Rev Mukahanana was assigned to a number of Circuits before he was assigned to the Superintendent’s position responsible for the Harare East District.
He was in charge of the eastern side of the Harare suburbs stretching to Mutare and Chimanimani.
United Methodist Church in Zimbabwe leader, Bishop Eben Nhiwatiwa, said Rev Mukahanana requested to meet him, after sending an e-mail, but the indaba did not take place.
Rev Mukahanana died last Friday after consuming a Kambucha drink laced with rat poison at a local lodge.
He was 47 and leaves behind a wife and three children.
His sexual encounter with his lover, only identified as Wadzanai, was exposed after a conversation they had about some blood on a condom, leaked onto a church WhatsApp group.
Bishop Nhiwatiwa said had Rev Mukahanana come forward, he could have used his position to help him.
“Akatya uye kunyara kuti Bishop Nhiwatiwa ndovaudza ndichitii?
“Had he confessed his sin, when he sent an e-mail requesting to meet me, I could have saved his life.
“In his e-mail message, he never disclosed his reason to meet me and I phoned and told him that I was busy and we would have more time later.
“Had he disclosed the matter, I was going to assign one of my leaders to rush and drive him to Mutare, where I was, and assign him another job in my office.”
He added:
“We have lost a dedicated, hardworking and trusted man due to his failure to overcome temptation.
“It is a loss to the Kingdom of God, to the entire church at large, to his family and to the nation.
“I am not here to explain what has been brought to my attention, which was circulating on social media, but to bury him only.”
He said Rev Mukahanana’s death has shown why Prophet Jeremiah lamented in the bible.
“I also confronted God over this and he replied to me that I have no power to stop death and to determine how one ends,” said Bishop Nhiwatiwa.
state media
