By Jonathan Mbiriyamveka
It started as a day of worship. But for more than 400 people in Bulawayo, on Africa Day became something else entirely: a lifeline.
At the heart of the Ekhaya Worship Festival, held at Hartsfield Rugby Stadium, a quiet revolution was unfolding. No tickets.
No queues for bills. Just free, dignified healthcare for anyone who walked in—young men carrying toddlers, grandmothers leaning on canes, working mothers with no medical aid.
By the time the Business Expo closed its doors at 4pm, Arundel Hospital’s team had treated 402 patients. The final number kept climbing as more trickled in, hopeful.
“We made sure whoever wanted treatment got it,” said Dr. David Chimuka, Clinical Director at Arundel Hospital, the festival’s strategic partner. “Those who needed prescription tablets received medicines on the spot.”
Patients including the elderly wait on their turn to get free medical treatment at Ekhaya Worship Festival
Inside the Arundel Hospital stand, volunteers ran a full clinic: physiotherapy, dental checks, a pharmacy, and counselling. For many, it was their first medical visit in years.
A Granny from Luveve, a Musician’s Birthday, and a Blanket
Earlier that morning, festival organisers—gospel musician Everton Mlalazi and his wife Rumbi—had quietly honoured his May 22 birthday by hosting the elderly for lunch. They didn’t just eat. They received blankets and hampers, wrapped in warmth and respect.
One 78-year-old grandmother from Luveve, who asked only to be called Gogo, suffers from arthritis. She left with medication and tears in her eyes. “I didn’t think anyone remembered people like me,” she said.
Another beneficiary, a young woman named Nando, summed up what many felt: “Even after getting treated, it means I can now enjoy the festival without fear of an emergency.”
More Than a Concert
Derived from the Ndebele word ekhaya—meaning “home”—the festival was founded by award-winning gospel musician Everton Mlalazi. But this year, it felt less like a concert and more like a movement.
“What makes Ekhaya remarkable is its ability to blend worship with practical community impact,” said Dr. Chimuka. “We are evolving into a movement of restoration for communities facing economic and social challenges.”
For families scraping by in a tough economy, a free check-up can mean early diagnosis. A counselling session can lift a hidden weight. A simple pack of arthritis tablets can restore the ability to walk to church.
By nightfall, 28 artists from South Africa and Zimbabwe had taken the grand stage, voices rising in praise.
But long before the music began, the festival had already done something just as sacred: it had healed, even if a little, the people who call this place home.
The Arundel Hospital stand was a hive of activity at Ekhaya Worship Festival business expo
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