12/11/2025
COPIED
PROPHET MAGAYA SAGA: SUCCESSION PLANNING 101
(A Business Lesson Hidden in a Scandal)
Lately, everyone has been talking about Prophet Walter Magaya. Some say he’s guilty, others say he’s innocent. I’m not here to play judge I’ll leave that to God and the courts of law.
What caught my attention wasn’t the drama… but the business lesson in the middle of it all.
On the 7th of November, there was supposed to be the famous Night of Turnaround an event Prophet Magaya himself was meant to lead. But he couldn’t… because, well, he was in remand prison.
Now, most people thought the event would be cancelled.
But surprise!
The show went on.
Walter Junior his son took over.
And the event was a success.
At that moment, I said to myself,
“This man may be facing tough times, but his succession planning is on point!”
While many saw a scandal, I saw a business masterclass.
LESSON 1: ENTREPRENEURS DIE, SYSTEMS DON'T
Let’s be real you will die one day.
Yes, you reading this.
We build businesses, make them profitable, buy nice cars, and post motivational quotes every morning… but the real question is:
What happens to your business when you die?
I’ve met so many entrepreneurs who run their companies like a secret society.
● Only they know the suppliers.
● Only they know the passwords.
● Only they know who owes the business.
● The wife doesn’t know. The kids don’t know. Even the accountant doesn’t know!
When they die, the business also dies like a WhatsApp group that goes silent when the admin leaves.
You find employees saying, “Boss ainge achiziva zvese!” (Only the boss knew everything!)
That’s not entrepreneurship that’s prison leadership. You’re holding your business hostage.
LESSON 2: TEACH YOUR KIDS EARLY MONKEY SEE, MONKEY DO
Look at the Indians. The Greeks. The white farmers.
Their kids grow up inside the business not just watching, but learning.
You visit a Greek-owned supermarket and see a 12-year-old at the till counting change like a mini accountant.
You visit an Indian hardware shop, the 10-year-old is shouting, “Mbuya tinapangana !”
That’s succession planning, not child labour!
Meanwhile, some of us Africans say,
“My child must just focus on school; I don’t want him to suffer the way I did.”
But the truth is: if you don’t let your child see the business, they will never understand the blood and sweat behind it.
Prophet Magaya taught his son how to lead from the front, not from the inheritance papers.
LESSON 3: BUILD AN INSTITUTION, NOT A PERSONALITY
When you die, your followers, customers, or employees shouldn’t ask,
“So what happens now?”
They should simply continue working, because the systems and values are already in place.
That’s how true legacy works.
It’s not about who shouts your name after you die it’s about who continues your vision while you’re gone.
LESSON 4: WRITE IT DOWN
You can’t pass down your business through memories and voice notes.
Write it down. Document it.
Create a succession file:
● Bank details
● Passwords
● Key clients
● Suppliers
● Contracts
● Staff list
And tell at least one trusted person where to find it.
Otherwise, one day your wife will go to the office and the employees will say, “Sorry madam, we are also waiting for instructions from the late boss.”
FINAL THOUGHTS
Whether you like Prophet Magaya or not, learn from the move: he prepared his son.
While others were debating holiness, I saw leadership in motion.
So yes thumbs up, Prophet Magaya
You didn’t just build a ministry you built a model.
And me? I’m taking notes.
I’ve already started grooming a young Chartered Vendor to take over one day.
Because if I die and this dream dies with me, then I’ve failed my assignment.
Remember, my friends:
“If your business cannot live without you, then it’s not a business it’s a job with a funeral plan.”
If you’re an entrepreneur, pastor, or business leader let this be your wake-up call. Build systems that outlive you. Don’t just chase profits; build legacies. Start grooming your successor today, document your business processes, and protect your vision. For leadership talks, training sessions, or mentorship, call or WhatsApp +263 77 961 9739 (Zimbabwe) or +260 972 936 033 (Zambia) let’s help Africa build institutions that last generations.
By The Chartered Vendor
