By Frank Kamuntu
Pan Africanists in Uganda must be in jubilating mode after powerful Pan Africanist Joshua Marara Maponga confirmed that in August he will be flying to Uganda for the popular Pan African Pyramid Global Awards to be held at Fairway Hotel, Kampala on 26th August 2023.
Joshua Maponga is a renowned Zimbabwean-born preacher, philosopher, motivational public speaker, theologian, author, writer, musician, entrepreneur and unparalleled Pan-Africanist.
According to Founding Chairman dubbed Speaker for Pan African Pyramid (PAP) comrade Andrew Irumba Katusabe, the event will be the sixth edition of the PAP Awards that have for the last years been attracting hundreds of Pan Africanists across the globe to celebrate their forefathers.
To some who don’t Maponga, he was born in Masvingo province, Zimbabwe in 1973. The 49-year-old moved to South Africa in his early days and later relocated to Swaziland before eventually traveling to the UK in 1998. The motivational speaker is the oldest child of Lazarus and Sibanda Maponga and 4 siblings. He holds a bachelor’s degree in Philosophy and Personal Ministries from Andrews University in Michigan, USA.
Maponga has traveled widely and has quite a number of followers who believe in his philosophies. He’s famous for many reasons; He’s a Seventh-day Adventist church-ordained Bishop and a community development enthusiast.
Maponga grew up with his parents and from a young age showed a good sign of being independent and as such was able to follow his passion and traveled to places where he could fulfill his dreams. His quest for knowledge saw him travel between South Africa, Swaziland and the UK before finally returning to South Africa.
Maponga’s educational journey began at Solusi Adventist Sec. Sch. where he had his high school education before proceeding to Solusi University. His love for knowledge saw him travel to the US for further studies. While in the US he obtained a bachelor’s degree in philosophy and personal ministries with a focus on theology from Andrews University in Michigan USA.
Maponga’s mind was originally set on engineering and although he didn’t eventually follow that path, he took part in the construction, entrepreneurial training, which is an initiative of the International Labour Organization that helps to set up local talents as consultants for emerging manufacturers and consultants.
Maponga’s father ventured into pastoral work, after his release from prison for his involvement in politics. This led him to ensure that young Maponga stayed out of politics and followed him to his service in the church, and as such, Maponga Junior has been a pastor in the Seventh-day Adventist church for so many years and his passion for the gospel endeared him to the congregation.
He enjoyed a wide followership and as time passed by, his impactful ministering caught the attention of senior church ministers and was ordained a bishop of the Pentecostal and Evangelical Community. He continued to make an impact within the church and created his own approach to preaching the gospel.
He’s committed to community development and has partnered with different organizations to make a change where he can.
The religious leader is the founder of the institute, Farmers of Thought and has two other non-Governmental Organizations namely; Zimbabwe Indigenous Movement and African Indigenous Movement. Maponga’s impactful preaching earned him a nickname, “Creative Power House”.
About Pan-African Pyramid
Pan-African Pyramid (PAP) is a non-governmental organization that was founded in 2015 with a vision to articulate concerted efforts geared towards promoting the true African Awakening among the BLACK people throughout Africa and in the Diaspora and galvanize inventions and innovations of African people based on its principles as an intellectual, non-partisan discussion forum, built on the Pillars of PAN AFRICANISM PATRIOTISM and NATIONALISM.
The PAP Ideology/pre-occupation is to REVIVE intellectual discourse among youth with a bias on re-constructing our lost Pan-Africanism, patriotism and Nationalism Values and spirit.
The organization was founded by the current PAP Speaker and Chairman Andrew Irumba Katusabe, with its social impact and humanitarian programs including;
1.Organizing PAP debates every Friday
2.Pan African Pyramid Global Awards every August
3.Collection and delivery of relief aide to refugees every December
4.Agriculture and livestock farming
5.Pan-African Marathon
6.Establishment of Pan African Pyramid School clubs and debates
7.Small Savings and Investments
8.Tree Planting and Natural Resource Maintenance (Environment Conservation)
As a norm, PAP has continued to provide support to Africans living in harsh situations, especially needy students and refugees in their respective camps.
Previously they have offered support to Nakivale Refugee settlement camps located in the Isingiro district where over 120000 refugees from over 10 nations received donations, which marked the end of 2019 before the coming of COVID-19 that interrupted the 2020 PAP calendar.
