HARARE, Zimbabwe — Zimbabwe’s renowned cleric and Prophetic Healing and Deliverance founder Walter Magaya recently built a modern soccer stadium in less than six months at his Yadah Complex in Waterfalls, Harare.

The project comes at a time when Magaya is facing several allegations, including rape and fraud. 

In a circular published last year by the Confederation of African Football, the country does not have a stadium certified to host international matches. The memo also included a list of stadiums in Africa, approved to host the 2026 World Cup qualifiers. No stadium in Zimbabwe was on the list.

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But Magaya now claims the the new venue — which cost $10 million and even features gold toilet seats — built by his ministry is a duplicate of Swansea Stadium in South Wales, home of the local English Championship team.

Known as Heart Stadium, Zimbabwe’s President Emmerson Mnangagwa formally inaugurated the venue this past December. The place can accommodate 5,000 fans for now, but will grow to accommodate up to 40,000 people. While some are excited by the new stadium, others — especially those who claim to be Magaya's victims — remain skeptical that justice will be served.

Magaya’s offer to have Zimbabwe play games at his venue comes at a crucial time, with teams forced to play home matches in Rwanda. 

Mnangagwa has praised Magaya for his contributions during his speech at the venue’s opening ceremony, calling the stadium a cutting-edge establishment.

“I thank you Prophet Magaya and the congregants of PHD Ministries for contributing to our national development priority areas,” said Mnangagwa.

According to Magaya, building the stadium was a component of his ambitious plan to advance sports throughout the nation. 

“We will allow other clubs to use the facility. We are putting dressing rooms that meet the Premier Soccer League and CAF requirements,” Magaya added.

Magaya's kindness has constantly been overshadowed by his scandals. The PHD founder is charged with sexually assaulting a female member of his congregation at one of his Harare homes in August 2015.

Prosecutors said that following the alleged attack, he forced the victim to end her pregnancy before paying $100,000 in return for her silence. However, the accused victim dropped her accusations against Magaya before a trial could start. Magaya then filed a challenge against the validity of his prosecution with the country’s High Court.

In 2022, the Zimbabwe Gender Commission reopened its investigation into Magaya's alleged sexual assault — even though the issue had been put on hold for years. ZGC declared that it was once again taking reports from anyone who had been sexually exploited by the cleric.

“The Zimbabwe Gender Commission wishes to advise members of the public that the Zimbabwe Gender Commission in its commission meeting [in August 2022] … resolved to recommence investigation of the allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse of women levelled against Prophet Walter Magaya of Prophetic Healing and Deliverance Ministries,” the statement read.

It added: “As such, we are calling on all citizens who might have complaints of sexual exploitation and abuse involving the conduct of Walter Magaya to present particulars of their complaints to the Zimbabwe Gender Commission.”

Magaya’s problems don’t end there. In 2023, he faced criticism for allegedly defrauding parents via his Yadah Sports Academy. Parents said they furious — and currently seeking refunds — after the academy was accused of utilizing the prestigious Italian soccer team Juventus’ name in a phony youth program.

One of the biggest football teams in the world, Juventus has distanced itself from the controversy that Magaya masterminded.

And the problems don’t end there.

In January, a group of Israeli businessmen — allegedly swindled out of $3 million by Magaya — has threatened to take the clergyman to an international court should local courts not settle the case, where it is currently pending.

Magaya allegedly received the payment through Ronny Levi Musan, the Consul General of Zimbabwe in Israel who was appointed by Mnangagwa. Musan said he was shocked by the scam — although he said he maintains confidence in Mnangagwa and the African nation as a safe investment destination.

Calvin Manika is a Christian and an award-winning journalist from Zimbabwe.