Abstract:
In general, the numerical strength of African Instituted Churches (AICs) makes them a force
to reckon within the African context. AICs have influenced a number of people and
challenged historical churches in Zimbabwe. However, the operations of some AICs have
come under the spotlight for violating the rights of children especially concerning education,
preventable and treatable diseases and conditions. The study examines the beliefs and
practices of Johane Marange Apostolic Church (JMAC) with regards to issues of health and
healing, education, child marriages and human rights in Zimbabwe. The paper argues that the
JMAC stultify the girl-child rights on education and also exposes children to child killer
diseases such as measles, tuberculosis, malaria, HIV and AIDS because they shun
conventional medical treatment on the basis of their faith. The study established that there are
some clashes between the government and JMAC members for evading high impact child
survival interventions such as immunisation programmes to curb communicable and noncommunicable
diseases among children. This scenario negatively impacts on children who
are made to either ‘march or die’. The research utilised the phenomenological approach,
observation and interviews to provide perceptual analysis as well as government and media
reports for factual interrogation of data gathered.
