Some months ago he announced that he had appointed himself Archbishop of an “Anglican Province of Zimbabwe” and had selected a few associates, also excommunicated Anglicans, as Bishops subservient to him. He had already unlawfully seized the Cathedral and churches in the Diocese for his own use.

In August 2007 he broke away and deliberately defected from the Anglican Church of the Province of Central Africa (CPCA). The CPCA is the ecclesiastical body which controls all the Dioceses throughout Botswana, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe – including the Diocese of Harare of which Mr Kunonga was once the Bishop. Like all other Dioceses within the CPCA, the properties in the Diocese (the Cathedral, churches, and other buildings as well as other assets) are owned by the CPCA not by Kunonga. They were acquired with funds raised by Anglicans for the benefit of Anglicans. The occupation and use of the Diocesan offices, churches, houses and other property by Mr Kunonga and his close associates, therefore is a premeditated, irreverent, intentional act amounting at least to invasive and unlawful possession and use of another’s property; trespass; the unlawful preventing of entry to property to its rightful owners and the taking of the fruits of benefice under pretended title which in law is called spoliation.

Although he has been expelled from and is rejected by the Anglican community worldwide and is not permitted to have anything further to do with Anglicanism, Mr Kunonga maintains he is the head of a fictitious Anglican body. He and Harry Rinashe, William Morris Gwedegwe, Claxton Mabhoyi, and Alfred Munyani (apparently described as “bishops” by Mr Kunonga) chose to remove themselves from the Diocese to form this organisation as did Barnabas Machingauta, Secretary to this group. Their so-called “Anglican” church of Zimbabwe simply does not and cannot exist because there are already five Anglican Dioceses which cover the entire country, are part of the CPCA, and are recognized worldwide.

Mr Kunonga and his group are not Anglican shepherds of any Christian flocks. The Bible says that he who climbs into a sheep pen by some other means instead of entering by the gate, comes to steal and plunder. The sheep never follow him. Rather, they keep away from him because they do not recognize the stranger’s voice. By their words, action and habits, Mr Kunonga’s group pretend to be what they are not.

Bishops are told not to embark upon bouts of brawling and not to be quarrelsome or grasping (1 Timothy 2). Yet this small Kunonga circle behave in a disreputable, profane way towards the Diocese. They take no notice of and make a mockery of the law and of Christian values and principles. Since August 2007, allegedly with the support of just a few senior police officials, they have directly or indirectly threatened, assaulted and chased away from church services peace-loving Christians who wish to worship in the house of the Lord – not in the house of Kunonga. His group and assistants allegedly cruise around in cars and by other means to see where church services and other events are being held by Anglican worshippers, and immediately call in riot police and others to disrupt the event and order the innocent people to leave the premises. Some church goers are beaten and arrested in the process. His group call the police to remove Diocesan vehicles from Anglican Priests in the Diocese. The group prevent Anglican congregations from entering the Cathedral of St Mary and All Saints by padlocking all the doors. The group’s agents have demanded from the Diocese “severance packages” for all those (including Mr Kunonga and his “bishops”) who were once priests in the Diocese but who voluntarily decided to resign and support Mr Kunonga. The offices of Bishop Sebastian Bakare, the legitimate Bishop of the Diocese, were padlocked in an attempt to prevent him from attending to his administrative work.

What crime does Mr Kunonga and a few senior police officers allege the Diocese and its parishioners have committed to justify the invasions of churches by riot police and others, the removal of Diocesan vehicles and the forceful barring of Anglicans from worshipping in Anglican Churches? Is this treatment permissible in terms of the Zimbabwean constitution? Is it a crime for a lawfully constituted body to use its own property? Surely, the fundamental right of freedom of worship has not been torn out of the law books.

Mr Kunonga’s emphatic behaviour early on heralded an intention to persecute and abuse the faithful churchgoers (about 98% of the entire Diocese) and deprive them from having access to their usual places of worship on CPCA property. These churchgoers do not admire or accept his conduct. Instead they support wholeheartedly the CPCA, and the lawfully installed and enthroned Bishop of the Diocese, Bishop Sebastian Bakare who has taken over from Kunonga.

Despite his persistent efforts to shut down churches and oppress congregations, the vast majority of parishioners still flock in huge numbers to worship where they can under the leadership of Bishop Bakare. They abhor the intimidatory tactics of the Kunonga group to blockade and keep them away from the Lord’s house. They strongly disapprove of the attempts to make the CPCA churches accessible only to Mr Kunonga so that he, his group and assistants and no others may with unbridled impunity use the possessions and spend the money of the very Diocese they have spurned, turned their back on and left. The law, commonsense and logic all tell us that if you resign or are dismissed from your employment, you cannot turn around and tell your employer that he must leave, because you are not going to depart from the work place and, intend to take over the property of the business and operate the business yourself. However, regardless of the law, Kunonga is endeavouring to do just that.

He and his group have exposed their true colours. Their goal does not seem to place particular emphasis on the propagation of the gospel. Theirs are not the acts expected by faithful, law-abiding, wise and understanding people. Just look at their harsh treatment of parishioners, their apparent self-aggrandisement, materialism and hunger for power, the trail of relentless persecution. Their announcement of their status as Anglican Archbishop and Bishops expresses an illusion, a mirage incapable of fulfilment. Significantly none of them are now recognised by the Church as anything but discredited, excommunicated Anglicans, whatever they may try to portray.

The most salient facts are -

1.                  Mr Kunonga and his associates have all been excommunicated from the Anglican Church worldwide and are no longer clerics nor Anglicans.

2.                  Mr Kunonga and his associates have broken all ties with and purposely left the Anglican community to become members of another organisation which has no connection whatsoever with the Diocese or Anglicanism.

3.                  Consequently, for both the above reasons, they have no right to possess, hold, use, occupy or spend any of the assets of the Diocese as these are owned by the CPCA.

4.         The group are trespassers unlawfully attempting to control the assets of their previous employer.

5.         Those who have chosen to follow Mr Kunonga and his self-styled “bishops” or to act on their instructions or help them in any way in projecting, causing or supporting violence, intimidation, quarrelsome or grasping behaviour are themselves parties to illegal and in some cases criminal acts.

6.         Mr Kunonga and others are responsible for any loss, damage or injury caused to the Diocese and individuals by their acts or omissions since August, 2007 and are liable to recompense the Diocese and affected individuals.

7.         It would be a fitting and humane gesture if Mr Kunonga and those supporting him were to withdraw graciously from occupying, using or claiming any right to the assets of or interfering with the Diocese of Harare immediately. Such a move would show there is a sense of righteousness, justice and understanding in their hearts and minds. What is more, it would hopefully lead to an element of forgiveness and restore to them some of the respect in which they were held before they embarked upon an exercise which has damaged their integrity and brought low the reputation of the Church of God.

Bob Stumbles

Diocesan Chancellor

Deputy Chancellor of the Church of the Province of Central Africa

18^th April, 2008.

Contact: +41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363 media@wcc-coe.org

For immediate release – 17/06/2008 11:44:16

PRAY FOR ZIMBABWE, WCC INVITES CHURCHES WORLDWIDE

Churches worldwide are being invited to celebrate a day of prayer for Zimbabwe on Sunday, 22 June, as the beginning of a season of prayer for the people and government of the African country, which is facing a critical time.

The day of prayer for Zimbabwe, which is an initiative of Christians in the country, will take place shortly before the runoff election for the presidency scheduled for Friday, 27 June.

“It is impossible to overstate the importance of this election, its fairness, its outcome and its aftermath”, affirms the World Council of Churches (WCC) general secretary Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia in a letter to the WCC member churches. “Events in the coming weeks will challenge the people of Zimbabwe and the world to find means of overcoming violence in the exercise of democracy, and the results will influence the future of the nation and the region”, he adds.

Full text of the invitation letter from:

http://www.oikoumene.org/index.php?id=6041

Beloved friends in Christ,

At the initiative of brothers and sisters in Zimbabwe, we in the World Council of Churches invite you to join us in observing Sunday 22 June 2008 as the beginning of a season of prayer for the people and government of Zimbabwe.

On Friday 27 June 2008, the citizens of Zimbabwe will return to polling booths to cast ballots in a runoff election for the presidency. It is impossible to overstate the importance of this election, its fairness, its outcome and its aftermath. Events in the coming weeks will challenge the people of Zimbabwe and the world to find means of overcoming violence in the exercise of democracy, and the results will influence the future of the nation and the region.

On Sunday 22 June we request churches to observe a day of prayer for Zimbabwe; on that Sunday, and in the days that follow, we ask you to join millions of Christians throughout the world as we lift up Zimbabwe and its people to the Lord, ask God’s blessing and pray that peace may prevail. We offer the following prayer as a petition to God for the people of Zimbabwe.

Eternal God:
In your sight nations rise and fall, and pass through times of trial.
We pray with and for Zimbabwe in this hour of national decision,
and we ask your divine blessing on all the people of the land.
May Zimbabwe’s leaders seek justice by means that are just;
May the voters take action to promote the common good;
may international observers and mediators be guided by your wisdom.
Lead us not into temptation, Lord, and deliver your people from evil:
Empower us all to overcome anger, jealousy, division and violence;
help us to respect one another despite our differences;
and teach us the things that truly make for peace.
This we pray in the name of Jesus Christ our Saviour. Amen. 

Through this and other prayerful actions, we will continue to support the people of Zimbabwe through the days and weeks ahead. In the love and unity of the triune God, we thank you for joining in this season of prayer.

Blessings,

Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia
General Secretary, World Council of Churches

Additional information: Juan Michel,+41 22 791 6153 +41 79 507 6363

media@wcc-coe.org 

The World Council of Churches promotes Christian unity in faith, witness and service for a just and peaceful world. An ecumenical  fellowship of churches founded in 1948, today the WCC brings together 349 Protestant, Orthodox, Anglican and other churches representing more than 560 million Christians in over 110 countries, and works cooperatively with the Roman Catholic Church.

The WCC general secretary is Rev. Dr Samuel Kobia, from the Methodist Church in Kenya. Headquarters: Geneva, Switzerland.

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Mt 5:11-12: “Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.”

There are two words which catch my attention in this passage connected to the environment we live in: Persecution and falsehood. The word falsehood according to Webster’s Dictionary means “lack of accuracy, deception, lying, incapable of telling the truth”.  Persecution according to the same dictionary means “to afflict or harass constantly so as to injure or distress, oppress cruelly, especially for reasons of religion, politics or race”.

In his second Epistle to the Corinthians, Paul describes a similar situation whereby he says, “Five times I received from the Jews the 40 lashes minus one, once I was stoned, three times I was shipwrecked. I spent a night and a day in the open sea, I have been constantly on the move. I have been in danger from rivers, in danger from bandits, in danger from my countrymen, in danger from Gentiles; in danger in the city, in danger in the country, in danger at sea; and in danger from false brothers”. (11:24-46)

Matthew is writing his gospel when the small Christian community was falsely accused of being a forbidden sect that was doing things contrary to Jewish rituals. Sometimes they were accused of being cannibals eating the body of Christ and drinking his blood at their gatherings. Some of the accusers knew very well that there wasn’t such a thing as drinking blood and eating human flesh, but to simply say Christians were practising cannibalism was enough reason to persecute them. The source of persecution therefore is falsehood.

“Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you, falsely say all kinds of evil things against you because of me”.

In Zimbabwe today falsehood has almost become a national disease. Some newspapers and electronic media thrive on spreading falsehoods. They twist the truth for falsehood. All forms of persecution – torture, killings, arrests are done by those for whom falsehood has become a doctrine that keeps them to sustain their status quo.

Persecution meted against the powerless has existed as long as human beings have been around. It causes untold material loss and human suffering. No one chooses or wishes to suffer. Members of our Diocese are being persecuted on allegations by former members of our church that they are gays, lesbians or MDC. Some politicians and police officers have embraced thes allegations as truth and are out there to persecute the church of God. Our church buildings remain locked and are declared no-go areas by the police. Some police officers implementing the so-called “directives from above” have gone to the extent of forbidding us to pray even under a tree “because we are gays, lesbians or MDC”.

My dear sisters and brothers

The Bible tells us that the truth shall make us free. I invite you therefore to stand for the truth, shame the devil and shun falsehood. Falsehood they say thrives only for a short time, and shame remains attached to a liar like a shadow that departs only when one dies.  For us in this Diocese falsehood levelled against us has a meaning, i.e. our faith is being put to the test. Those who are not strong enough will fall away.

The sight of helmeted riot police in front of our churches preventing the faithful from praying will go down as a shameful chapter in the history of our country which considers itself to be Christian. After all it is carried out by people who themselves are members of various denominations.

According to Matthew there is a reward given to those who stand firm and are prepared to accept the inconvenience of worshipping outside their church buildings, in private homes, schools halls, swimming pools and under trees. The suffering that we are going through becomes the fruit of courageous witness to our faith in Jesus who himself was falsely condemned to death. We believe in a God who has power to create something new that can burst out at his own chosen time – therein lies our hope. Meanwhile we remain steadfastly faced with people who have an astonishing capacity to fabricate falsehood and have become blind, aggressive, destructive and vicious. As it is said in 1 Peter 5:8: “Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith.”

Let us carry on with our pilgrimage. God – Immanuel – is with us.

Finally I have both bad and good news to share with you:

We could not celebrate our annual Bernard Mizeki festival this year because some former members of our church under the leadership of Kunonga made sure we could not get near the shrine for the whole of June. This was not because they have devotion or love for Bernard Mizeki, to the contrary. We are, however, grateful to the Bishop of Lebombo in Mozambique who provided an alternative venue at Bernard Mizeki’s Church, Chimoio where some of our pilgrims were able to go and join our sisters and brothers there in commemorating Bernard Mizeki Day.

The good news is that we continue to be supported and prayed for by many parts of the Anglican Communion. Apart from a message of solidarity and prayers from the Archbishop of Canterbury, we had three visitors in the past month, namely:

·         the Bishop of Massachusetts, Tom Shaw, sent by the Presiding Bishop of the Episcopal Church of the United States of America

·         the Archbishop of Cape Town, Thabo Makgoba

·         the Bishop of Tonbridge from the Diocese of Rochester.

All came to stand by us and have first hand experience of what we are going through in this Diocese. The presence of these brother bishops in our midst made us feel connected with the wider Anglican Communion and indeed the body of Christ. We would like to thank many of our brothers and sisters beyond our national boundaries who are holding us in their prayers and enable us to carry on with our mission to witness to the gospel of Christ.

Your Bishop

+Sebastian Harare

18 June 2008

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A United Methodist Church Reverend lost an eye when soldiers and militias near Nyazura in Manicaland province attacked him on Saturday. The 42 year-old Reverand, Takura Bango, is in an intensive care unit at a hospital in Mutare. He is due to go for an operation in the next 48 hours on his right eye. The Reverend is from Chitenderano in Makoni South constituency. MDC MP elect for the area Pishai Muchauraya said soldiers, led by a Major Dangirwa, and militias were responsible for the attack on Reverand Bango. ‘The attack was brutal. They used logs and sticks to beat him up saying he supported the MDC. He lost his right eye in the attack and the beating only stopped after they realised what they had done to him,’ Muchauraya said. The MDC MP added that dozens more were left injured on Saturday as soldiers and militias went on a rampage. The beatings were punishment for attending an MDC meeting on Friday. Muchauraya said Major Dangirwa made it clear the MDC was banned from holding any rallies in the province. In another attack, last week Monday, an outspoken and well known Mt Selinda mission chaplain was abducted, following his powerful sermon on the injustice, corruption, misgovernance and the illegitimacy of the Mugabe regime from 1980 to date. War veterans later invaded the mission and abducted the Reverand, who was later released after intense interrogation.

‘Soldiers have taken over the role of police officers. Zanu PF is fighting an undeclared war against innocent and unarmed victims. We need peacekeepers to bring this madness to an end,’ Muchauraya said. The MDC secretary for International Affairs, Professor Elphas Mukonoweshuro, said election monitors and observers were expected to jet into the country on Monday. ‘They are supposed to arrive today (Monday) so we are checking with our officials to find out who has arrived,’ Mukonoweshuro said. The issue of observers has now become a major concern for the MDC after the Southern African Development Community promised to send an enlarged contingent by early June to monitor the elections. Anglican Archbishop Thabo Makgoba of South Africa said on Sunday the levels of intimidation showed the importance of deploying large numbers of election monitors. Speaking in Johannesburg after a trip to Zimbabwe the Archbishop said the country was now a police state. ‘The levels of intimidation I witnessed on a visit to Zimbabwe last week underline the crucial importance of deploying large numbers of both international and local election monitors for the June 27 presidential run-off,’ he said.

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This confused them. I then showed them my weapon, a cupboard full of Bibles and asked them if they would like one.
They all said yes, so they came looking for weapons of war and they left with God’s Word. I told them if they read the Bible it would change their lives. When they finished I asked them if they would let us pray for them. They said we could pray, they wouldn’t. So I got some of my young people to pray for them and then I prayed and I think they left as friends.
Keep on praying. We are not fighting against flesh and blood here. This is a real scheme of the devil and he is on the rampage. In a way it is encouraging that the devil considers Zimbabwe worthy of destroying. There must be something here he does not like.
As we continue to see people beaten and displaced all over Zimbabwe the response of the Zimbabwean people is truly amazing. People of all colours and background are giving generously and caring for one another. People are giving to those in need, people are caring for one another. It is a pity it took the current crisis to bring this out, but the positive is that our people have responded so magnificently.
God bless, Gary Cross
PASTOR
gary.cross@northside.co.zw

We the Bishops of the Anglican Church of the Province of Central Africa, comprising Botswana, Malawi, Zambia and Zimbabwe, “called to share in Jesus’ work of sanctifying and shepherding his people and of speaking in God’s name”. As shepherds of our people we are deeply concerned and dismayed at the escalation of violence in Zimbabwe since the post election of 29th March 2008.

We are alarmed that a government can perpetrate irresponsible acts against its citizens by destroying people’s homes, torturing and killing for the simple reason that they did not vote “correctly”. We fear that the Presidential Run-Off elections on 27th June 2008 could witness a repeat of retribution of those who would have not voted “correctly”.

As bishops our mission has been and will be to preach the gospel of peace and justice for all. Therefore we are distressed at what the people of Zimbabwe are experiencing in an environment devoid of any resemblance of justice and peace.

We call upon the perpetrators of these immoral and criminal activities to respect the rule of law which safeguards and preserves human life and dignity. The reports that people are being maimed, killed, and denied decent burials, paints a contrary picture to our African understanding of Ubuntu.

All these point out to the leadership of these perpetrators that they have lost a sense of nationhood.

As bishops we are also pained to hear that members of the Anglican Diocese of Harare are being denied to pray in their church buildings. We are concerned that their right to worship enshrined in the constitution of Zimbabwe as well as the Article 18 of the UN Charter on Human Rights is being violated. This mirrors the persecution of Christians of the Early Church and in this context we remind the perpetrators that then as now God still triumphs over evil.

As bishops, we pray that the right of the people of Zimbabwe as spelled out in the constitution be upheld, that the judicial system as a reservoir of integrity, without respect of persons in its judgement and ruling, be guided by the spirit of justice and equity. That the law enforcement agents carry out their professional duties to defend shared values. The political parties respect the will of the people regardless of whether the results of the elections are in their favour or not.

We offer this prayer for sanity and resolve to bring all people in Zimbabwe to the realization that we are all God’s children, created in His image to love one another.

As bishops we commend all God’s children in Zimbabwe to His mercy that they may live in love, justice and peace.

In closing we offer this prayer to all:

Lord, you asked for my hands that you might use them for your purpose.
I gave them for a moment then withdrew them for the work was hard.
You asked for my mouth to speak out against injustice.
I gave you a whisper that I might not be accused.
You asked for my eyes to see the pain of poverty.
I closed them for I did not want to see.
You asked for my life that you might work through me.
I gave a small part that I might not get too involved.
Lord, forgive my calculated efforts to serve you
Only when it is convenient for me to do so,
Only in those places where it is safe to do so,
And only with those who make it easy to do so.
Father, forgive me, renew me
Send me out as a usable instrument
That I might take seriously the meaning of your cross.

Issued by the Bishops of the Anglican Church of the Province of Central Africa

1.The Right Rev. Albert Chama – Bishop of Northern Zambia & Dean of the Province of Central Africa
2.The Right Rev. Christopher J. Boyle – Bishop of Northern Malawi
3.The Right Rev. Peter Hatendi – Bishop of Manicaland
4.The Right Rev. Derek Kamukwamba – Bishop of Central Zambia
5.The Right Rev. Sebastian Bakare – Bishop of Harare
6.The Right Rev. William Mchombo – Bishop of Eastern Zambia
7.The Right Rev. Ishmael Mukuwanda – Bishop of Central Zimbabwe
8.The Right Rev. Robert Mumbi – Bishop of Luapula
9.The Right Rev. Trevor Mwamba – Bishop of Botswana
10.The Right Rev. David Njovu – Bishop of Lusaka
11.The Right Rev. Wilson Sitshebo – Bishop Matabeleland
12.The Right Rev. Godfrey Tawonezvi – Bishop of Masvingo
13.The Right Rev. James Tengatenga – Bishop of Southern Malawi
14.The Rev. Canon Michael Mkoko – Vicar General of the Diocese of Lake Malawi
15.The Very Rev. Brighton Malasa – Vicar General of the Diocese of Upper Shire

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