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Chipanga’s personality has bubbled to the surface in a big way. Now a ripe 61 years old, Chipanga showcases himself as an apostle, a spirit medium, a state advisor and a politician.

Chipanga has created an array of confusing alter egos which have now pigeon-holed him into a rebel, “Mutumwa waMwari,” sungura singer, “Mupositori,” born-again, spirit medium and controversial figure firing volleys at other churches.

In the process, he has blurred the line between Hosiah Chipanga the singer, Hosiah the founder of Messiah’s Apostolic Prophetical Inspired People’s Institution or simply Mapipi, Hosiah the spirit medium, Hosiah the politician and Hosiah the prophet.

Above all and perhaps most surprising, Chipanga now harbours presidential ambitions and does so in the strangest of ways.

For instance, he says, in the event he becomes the President and Commander-in-Chief, Chipanga says he wants to introduce “blindness” as capital punishment and put a “fly” as the logo for his health ministry.

Chipanga has in the past courted controversy, not only through his satirical songs. He once alleged that fellow singer First Farai stole cash paid to help with funeral expenses at another singer Cephas Mashakada’s funeral.

Love him or loath him, Chipanga leads an enigmatic lifestyle, more strange than what meets the eye.

He has two religious garments, a white one for the church and another — a black and white one for his spirit medium role.

The Herald tracked the man at his home in Dangamvura, Mutare and he opened up on his life, aspirations and ambitions.

“The spirit warned us (Mapipi Church) against recruiting other congregants until after the election,” Chipanga said.

“We are going to have crusades to recruit other members after the harmonised elections.”

Chipanga’s church has its shrine tucked in a nearby mountain which he calls Gorogotha.

He said he was instructed by the spirit to have a shrine in that particular mountain.

The 45-minutes journey to the shrine where Chipanga conducts his religious rituals proved arduous as there is no one clear path and you have to negotiate through thorns and blackjacks.

“Imagine we take this route every Saturday and sometimes during the night,” said Chipanga.

“The spirit would be guiding us.”

At the shrine, Chipanga first wore the white robe before changing into the black and white one.

His opening song was the famous former national anthem, “Ishe Komborera Africa.”

“I am a spirit medium just like Chaminuka,” he said.

“I have answers for the troubles bedevilling our country. God has been talking to me since 1977.”

Chipanga said his wish was to introduce God’s Kingdom on earth.

“Our institution stands for the establishment of God’s kingdom on earth, something that has never happened since the creation of the world,” he said.

“We can put an end to evil things such as killing, rape and theft. There shall be peace on earth forever,” said Chipanga.

“We have all what it takes to abolish the devil dominated kingdom controlling the world today and replace it with a Godly kingdom to run the world from now onwards.”

Chipanga said in his kingdom, all the magistrates would be blind people.

“I believe the only people who can judge without bias are blind people,” he said.

“In God’s kingdom that I hope to establish, one of the requisite qualification should be blindness.

“Blind people are not influenced by the stature and outlook of the person, and the capital punishment for sinning would be blindness.”

A father of four, Chipanga said he was putting his thoughts in a book that he is writing.

“I know people rubbish me as a crazy person,” he said.

“They will realise my value when I am gone. They will say Chipanga the Great.

“People don’t usually have the courage to tell the truth. I am not afraid to tell the truth.

“Unlike our fellow prophets who are known for miracle money, we give ideas, not money.

“Money is the source of all evils and people should attend church service to worship God not for material gain.”

Chipanga’s wife, Mayi Mpofu, plays a supporting role and claimed that she saw The Herald crew’s visit in her dream.

“I told my husband about your visit in March this year,” she said.

“I told him that we will have visitors from The Herald.”

Born on February 21, 1952, Chipanga said he received his calling while he was at Shebba Mountain, Penhalonga in 1977.

He grew up as a member of the Marange apostolic church before starting his own Mapipi.

Since 1982, Chipanga has been fronting his musical group Broadway Sounds which he changed to Vaparidzi Veshoko in 2007 to suit his spiritual mission.

And, it seems as Chipanga wades into the lesser known parts of his career, he speaks with a touch of spirituality and vulnerability.

Although what he says is rich with confession and insider stories, one can’t help but wonder what the real deal is.

Is he taking people for a ride?

Who knows what his intentions are and what his church is all about?

It’s not clear for now and that is the question he leaves the reader asking — it’s an enigma.