‘We are protected by prayers’: the sects hampering southern Africa’s vaccine rollout

With millions of followers, the stance of some Apostolic church leaders threatens to undermine fight against Covid

Hymnal melodies reverberate around the hillside in Kuwadzana, a Harare suburb. On a blisteringly hot Saturday, members of the Apostolic church, dressed in white, hum and sing together.

Songs, long prayers and a little Bible reading punctuate the outdoor service. It’s a spectacle for passersby.