17/07/2025
Reawakening the sleeping giant of Paul VI (Mutendere) institutions in the border town of Chirundu
By Br. Alfonce Kugwa
The name Mutendere is very popular among the Tonga people living along the mighty Zambezi river, the people of Chirundu, and the entire Diocese of Chinhoyi, and many people would ask why?
Once upon a time, there was a mission operating in Chinhoyi Diocese on the Zimbabwean side of the Zambezi River in Chirundu. The mission was put up to serve the social, academic, health, educational, and spiritual needs of the community at the then Chirundu Sugar Estates. At the said mission were a school, a hospital, agricultural projects, and the Church established by the Ambrosian Priests from Manila in Italy, but operating in Kariba and Zambia. These, together with the Sisters of Charity, ran a flourishing institution providing the needed services.
The hospital was named after Pope Paul VI (Cardinal Giovanni Colombo), who inaugurated it when he visited Zimbabwe as Cardinal before he became Pope. The Paul VI Catholic Mission Hospital, School, and Church in Chirundu were opened on 7 August 1965. It was financed by the generosity of the Archdiocese of Milan in its religious care of Chirundu and Kariba. Pope Paul VI, then Cardinal of Milan, visited Chirundu in 1962 and approved the Mission project, which was later named after him. Catholic Lay Doctors and Nursing Sisters from Rome, Italy, ran the Mission. The Mission was closed down several years later due to security concerns from the escalating liberation bush war and never reopened.
Surprisingly, the mission abandoned in Zimbabwe reemerged on the other side of the Zambezi. Different people interviewed by True Vine, including one Sekuru Isau Muzeza Mukonowenzou, concurred that the mission was both an economic and spiritual hub for Chirundu, fostering academic and economic development as well as good health and wellbeing in the Diocese of Chinhoyi. However, Sekuru Mukonowenzou bemoaned the abandonment of Mutendere Mission in Zimbabwe due to the liberation struggle and appealed to the Diocese of Chinhoyi to reconsider reopening the institution with its facilities to inject holistic development in Mashonaland West Province, particularly in the border town of Chirundu.
“I came here as a young man in 1968 when the mission was still operational on that side and there was a booming business with the Sugar Estate. The church also ran successful enterprises, including a mission hospital, school, and other services. Its closure and relocation to Zambia affected the residents of Chirundu, as this left them with no school, no health facility, and no church for the Catholic community. I experienced its demise, and I am heartbroken whenever I think about it. I appeal to those in charge to reconsider the revival of this once great facility for the benefit of the people of Zimbabwe,” Sekuru Mukonowenzou said.
Kennedy Takaera buttressed Sekuru Mukonowenzou’s plea, adding that the resuscitation of Mutendere will proffer more spiritual and economic opportunities for the local Church. He said this will give life to the community of Chirundu and contribute to the development of the Western Part of the Diocese. Takaera noted that Chirundu Town was on a developmental pathway and that the Catholic Church should lead the way in terms of service provision in areas of education, health, agriculture, and community formation. He added that soon there will be a border upgrade that will attract more people to invest in Chirundu and called the Church to prepare itself to provide the necessary services.
Takaera commended that most of the government workers in Chirundu leave their families in Harare or other towns because there are no proper facilities to support their children’s needs. He went on to say that people in Chirundu rely on Mutendere Hospital on the Zambian side since there was no health center on the Zimbabwean side.
"The revival of Mutendere Mission will contribute a lot in terms of revenue generation for the Diocese of Chinhoyi. It will also aid to the good health and well-being of the community. There is a need for a school. The demand is there for all the services that the Church can offer. Most of the government workers have their families in Harare, and they would need to bring their families to Chirundu, but due to a lack of educational facilities for their children, they cannot do so. 90% of the residents, including those from as far as Harare, Chinhoyi, and Karoi rely on Zambia’s Mutendere Hospital for medication, which is quite demanding as they have to go through the border processes for something that can be accessed in their country of origin. There is going to be a border upgrade soon, and more people will come to invest in Chirundu, and the Catholic Church should not be left behind. We need to reawaken the sleeping giant of Mutendere and serve the people of Zimbabwe. If the diocese cannot manage, religious congregations can come and provide those services. There are a lot of investment opportunities that the Church can capitalize on,” commented Takaera.
A visit to the so much talked about Paul VI Mission, which some people refer to as Mutendere, opened the crew to the reality on the ground. The Church building still stands intact, although it is without a roof. The cross on the building’s dome remains untouched and can be visible from a distance. Other buildings, although in a bad state, still give a picture of the massive investment in large tracts of land with the potential of turning around the fortunes of the diocese.
Across the border, three women at St. Mary Queen of Peace in Zambia, who used to live and work at Paul VI Mission, confirmed how relevant the mission and its facilities were to the people in the western parts of Zimbabwe. They expressed concern over the mission’s demise and urged the powers that be to reawaken the sleeping giant, which they said provided comprehensive solutions for the community.
Sr. Agatha Malia, who came to Zimbabwe in 1968 and worked as a nurse in her early years at Paul VI before she moved to Mutendere Mission Hospital in Zambia, remembers the beautiful and well-furnished sanatorium, which she described as a source of life for people living in Chirundu and its surroundings. Sr. Agatha highlighted that one of the reasons leading to the closure of the hospital was that the place was turned into a military zone, making it unsafe for the hospital staff and patients to remain there.
“Mutendere in Zambia came after Paul VI, and many things from Zimbabwe were brought to this hospital, and people from that side continue to come here to seek medical treatment,” shared Sr. Agatha.
An interview with Zambia’s Mutendere Hospital Administrator, Br. Hippolyte Manirakiza, revealed that the closure of Paul VI hospital in Chirundu has seen many people flock to Mutendere to seek medical attention. Br. Manirakiza said three-quarters of people seeking medication from his hospital were from Harare, Karoi, Chinhoyi, Chirundu, and other parts of Zimbabwe.
“We do not discriminate among the patients, and we treat them with joy. The people say medical services in Zimbabwe are costly, with very poor services, which is why they prefer to come here for their health needs. We are happy to offer them support and treatment. This shows our solidarity with our counterparts in Zimbabwe,” said Br. Manirakiza.
He added that his hospital gives preferential treatment to all patients without considering their country of origin, race, colour or creed. The Brother of Charity suggested that the Diocese of Chinhoyi invest in rebuilding the health services at the former Paul VI Mission to offer support to the local people.
“Crossing the border to seek medical services in Zambia is heavy for many people from Zimbabwe, but because there is no health facility on that side, they are left with no option. I suggest that the Diocese of Chinhoyi come to see for themselves how people flock here for medical support. We are ready to offer advice and support on how to move on from there. The fact that we are close to each other makes collaboration in terms of referral, information management, and training easier. The Dioceses of Monze and Chinhoyi can collaborate to share this pastoral ministry in serving the people of God,” he said.
He called for the rebuilding of Paul VI Mission not only to offer health services but to preserve the rich history of faith within the diocese.
St Mary's chitungwiza RC Diocese of Mutare Soccom Chinhoyi Diocese Social Communications Cathedral of the Sacred Heart - Harare St. Mary's Catholic Church Soccom Archdiocese of Harare Holy Trinity Catholic Church, Archdiocese of Bulawayo Zimbabwe St Francis Xavier Parish, Dete, Zimbabwe Our Lady of the Holy Rosary Catholic Church, Ibeju Lekki, Lagos LCBL Sisters in Zimbabwe Holy Spirit parish -SPIRITANS-Archidiocese of Lusaka ST JAMES Parish Chipinge Caritas Zimbabwe Harare St Simon Stock Parish Rusape Moyo Musande Parish Chinhoyi Diocese Soccom- All Souls Parish- Binga Carmelite Friars In Zimbabwe St Josephine Bakhita Mission Vic Falls Handmaids of Our Lady of Mt Carmel - Carmelite Sisters ZWACT
