After his ‘Aguma HIV cure’, Prophet Magaya launches ‘miracle cards’ with supernatural healing & deliverance powers

Controversial Zimbabwean prophet and leader of Prophetic Healing and Deliverance (PHD) Ministries, Walter Magaya, has launched a new product: a card he claims possesses healing and deliverance powers. This latest venture follows a string of previous, often dubious, product launches and pronouncements that have drawn both fervent followers and significant criticism.

Magaya, known for his flamboyant pronouncements – including a claim to have carried “Zimbabwe’s problems and prayers” to Israel in two black satchels – announced the launch of the cards via a video shared on social media. In the video, he states: “I can safely say to you the cards are officially launched. They are for you, for your use.” The cards will be sold for an unspecified price.

Magaya asserts the cards’ efficacy is linked to the user’s faith and devotion: “It is anointing that you respect that will work for you,” he explains.

“Respect is found in sacrifice, if one comes all the way from Bulawayo to attend a service to get a card, that sacrifice I tell you will get the anointing to work. If one meditates and takes their time, it will work. If one takes out money and says this is my seed towards this anointing that anointing will work because you will honour it, you will respect where your money is.”

This is not Magaya’s first foray into the commercialisation of faith. He previously launched a lipstick, claiming it would boost certain bodily functions and help those with low blood sugar. More significantly, in 2019, he faced legal repercussions after claiming to have discovered a cure for HIV and AIDS. His herbal remedy, AGUMA, was rejected by the government, leading to his arrest and a subsequent fine of US$700. He was forced to issue a public apology to the Zimbabwean people.

The launch of the miracle cards comes at a time when Magaya’s reputation is under further scrutiny. He recently faced disqualification from the Zimbabwe Football Association (ZIFA) integrity test for leadership positions. The disqualification stemmed from unresolved legal issues, including a pending trial for tax violations under Zimbabwe’s Income Tax Act (January 2024) and a previous conviction for breaching the Medicines Control Act (2018).

While Magaya’s camp dismissed these allegations as a smear campaign, his past conviction and potential failure to meet minimum educational requirements (five Ordinary Level passes) likely contributed to his disqualification. Sources indicate Magaya invested tens of thousands of dollars in his ZIFA campaign, including offering incentives to councillors, only to have his efforts thwarted by the disqualification.

Despite these controversies, Magaya’s PHD Ministries remains a significant force in Zimbabwean religious life, with followers across the continent and beyond. He claims the cards are already being shipped internationally: “As we speak right now some of the cards are in an aeroplane to Australia, Cape Town, Johannesburg, Durban, Botswana because on Sunday when I make a massive prayer you shall hold your card and pray with me,” he stated in his video.

The launch of these cards, therefore, represents a continuation of Magaya’s controversial entrepreneurial approach to religious practice, one that continues to generate both fervent support and considerable scepticism. The long-term impact of this latest venture remains to be seen.