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Evan Mawarire

Assistant News Editor
To the world, Evan Mawarire is a hero who stands up to Government, an upright man who represents the downtrodden. His touching story is that he is an honest hardworking Zimbabwean who struggled to raise school fees for his two daughters, leading him into action under the #ThisFlag, Mugabe Must Go Now cam- paign.

His emotional breakdown during an interview with Sky News made millions around the world empathise with this poor preacher.

At least that is the story that has been sold to the world.

What the world has not been told is that Mawarire is a fraudster who collected money from gullible believers in the United Kingdom through his church, only to evade tax.

Failure by Mawarire and his wife, Samantha, to file annual returns, led to not one but three companies being closed by the UK Companies House.

The three private companies – His Generation Ministries, Dreampreneur Global Limited and World Changers Limited – were used as fund-raising vehicles by the Mawarires, who are now doing the same through the #This Flag campaign.

The Mawarires are now working full-time on the project and their This Generation Ministries (Zimbabwe).

According to documents at hand, Mawarire was a director of His Generation Ministries, registered as a private limited company in the UK. The company was incorporated on November 23, 2009, and was based at 116B Windsor Road, Leyton, London. It later moved to 60 Shillingshaw Lodge, 208 Butchers Road, Canning Town, Lon- don.

Mawarire was the sole director of the company-cum-church which was dissolved by the Companies House on March 6, 2012.

Mawarire formed Dreampreneur Global Limited on October 19, 2009. The company, which was also based at 60 Shillingshaw Lodge, was dissolved on July 5, 2011.

Samantha was the director of World Changers Limited, based at 7 Manorside Close, Abbey Wood, London. The company was formed on November 26, 2007, and was dissolved for failure to file annual returns.

Other directors were Mawarire, Dr Jaimie Oliver Garande and Nyarai Garande.

Born in Leeds, UK, Dr Garande is now based in South Africa where he is a motivational speaker, commercial solicitor and chartered secretary. According to his profile online, he is also registered as a notary public and lawyer in Zimbabwe.

No comment could be obtained from Mawarire, who is currently in South Africa.

#This Flag coordinator Henry Munangatire was not answering his phone, while an official at His Generation Ministries refused with Samantha’s number saying she was being kept away from the press.

According to sources at the church, Mawarire has never struggled to pay fees for his daughters, but was just being packaged as an ordinary Zimbabwean who is struggling to make ends meet.

“This project (#ThisFlag) is another one of Pastor Mawarire’s money spinning ventures. He is also into consultancy on how to make money,” said a source who declined to be named.

Government has always maintained that Mawarire is being sponsored by Western governments to distabilise the country.

The presence of foreign diplomats such as French Ambassador Mr Laurent Delahousse during Mawarire’s recent trial at the Harare Magistrates’ Courts, all but affirmed that he is an agent of the West.

Speaking during the French National Day celebrations at his Harare residence recently, Mr Delahousse said: “I am inspired, on the contrary, by the light that shone yesterday evening (at Harare Magistratess Courts where Pastor Mawarire was appearing), on the other side of this beautiful city, in the hands and hearts of those who called in song and prayer for a new, united and peaceful Zimbabwe. May their appeal be heeded before it is too late.”

Who is Evan Mawarire?

1. Date of Birth: March 7 1977

2. Primary School Attended: Amandas Primary School (Concession)

3. High School: Prince Edward (1990-1992), Charles Clack (1993-1994 (Magunje)

4. Professional Qualification: Auto Electrician Diploma (Harare Institute of Technology, 1996)

5. Church: Youth and Young Adults Pastor at Celebration Church (2002-2007)

6. Regional Director Celebration Uk (2007-2010)

7. Planted His Generation Church in Harare (2010)

8. Married to Samantha and they have two daughters