Just wondering. Would ex-Bishop Kunonga give back his farm, which was a “gift” from Mugabe? Probabl not.
VOA News – Would White Farmers Return to a Post-Mugabe Zimbabwe?
On the whole, those big commercial farms that were run by white Zimbabweans and owned by white Zimbabweans are now in the hands of Mugabe’s cronies,†she says.
Nolbert Kunonga, deposed bishop of Harare in Zimbabwe, is notoriously known as the “Bad Bishop” around here. He’s been embroiled in a dispute with his diocese where he’s currently squatting in possession of the cathedral, and refusing to allow worshipers, priests, and the acting bishop access. He commented recently in an interview:
“The cannons(sic) are clear on the issue of homosexuality. We are not doing anything new, but we have joined other dioceses elsewhere that have rejected homosexuality and decided to break away from their provinces.
“If they do not see anything bad in homosexuality then for us there is no compromise,” he said (emphasis Blogula Rasa’s).
I sometimes think that Bishop Kunonga may be the loose “canon” of the more literalist, conservative, or “rejectionist” wing of the Anglican ecclesiastical sandbox. He seems to be privy to some of the playbook, or at least knows what buzzwords to use to best effect in the ongoing spectacle of scandal that he seems to relish so much. He’s using the “homo-sexxuls R evul” argument in such a transparently self-serving way, too. Fortunately, many of his former flock are on to his ways – they may not approve of gay people, much, but they don’t really care what goes on in other countries, they’ve got much bigger problems than bothering about the sex lives of those crazy, self-indulgent Americans.
Hmm. As the Episcopal Diocese of Fort Worth appears to be getting ready to do its own joining with other dioceses elsewhere that have rejected homosexuality and (attempt to) break away from its province, Bishop Kunonga seems remarkably well informed for a man half a world away. He’s one of the In Crowd, I guess. But will he be sitting with the cool kids at the GAFCON lunch table? I wonder. He’s not as all-powerful as he seems to think he is.
Via allAfrica.com: Zimbabwe: Anglican Church Saga – Kunonga Remains Defiant (Page 1 of 1)
That “bad bishop of Harare” guy has been in the news again, and it seems like the Province of Central Africa really would like to be rid of him, and sees right through his motives for hollering about teh evul homosexxuls in order to deflect criticism of his very corrupt lifestyle and actions. But it gets even more interesting, as The Lead reports from an article in the Living Church:
Despite the removal of the two bishops, recovery of diocesan property is not assured. On Oct. 21, a Zimbabwe court declined to issue an emergency injunction on behalf of the province that would have forced Bishop Kunonga, an ally of Zimbabwe dictator Robert Mugabe, to turn over the diocesan assets. Bishop Kunonga told the state-owned Harare Herald newspaper he would fight the province for control of church property. He was quoted saying thediocese was seeking to align with the Anglican Church of Kenya, a statement that could not be confirmed with the Kenyan Church in Nairobi.
Bishop Kunonga has also gone on the offensive,writing to discontented clergy in other dioceses seeking to split them off from their bishops. In an Oct. 11 letter sent to a Botswana parish and reviewed by The Living Church,Bishop Kunonga urged the congregation to write to Bishop Chama saying it was joining Harare in leaving the province
.
Apparently, if the strategery works, keep using it. These guys must be passing around a very tattered “Sekrit Planz 4 Takeover Teh Piscopul Cherch: No Liberrrls r Homosexxulls Evar” manual for ecclesiastic domination.
THE Anglican Province of Central Africa has initiated moves to expel controversial bishop of the capital, Nolbert Kunonga, after he withdrew the Harare diocese from the province alleging that it had failed to censure bishops sympathetic towards homosexuality.
There’s other evidence that a number of other African Anglicans aren’t necessarily supportive of the anti-gay agenda of the conservative faction represented by +Akinola, +Orimbi, +Minns the former Episcopal priest, and so on. The recent CAPA meeting concluded with the African bishops in attendance finding evidence that a “Western pen” (presumably that of Bishop Martyn Minns, former Episcopalian priest, now a bishop of the province of Nigeria) had written unwanted anti-homosexuality conclusions in the official statement document. And so they “roundly threw them out.” It’s not that the bishops didn’t agree with the insertions, but they definitely objected to their being inserted without being discussed, or even without their prior knowledge. They know to blame the American conservatives who are driving the debate and financing “their” African allies – thus contributing to the problem of corruption.
Meanwhile, there’s noise being made in English Evangelical circles about boycotting Lambeth. At this rate, all the really unpleaseant people will stay home, and although there may be big defections, it’s unlikely to result in anything changing all that much.
Cricinfo – Riot police prevent play in Zimbabwe
Harare, the seat of the Bad Bishop, seems to be in turmoil. Church services were cancelled, a cricket match didn't happen, an opposition leader was badly beaten. Hope His Grace enjoyed a quiet day at home.
The Chinese view:
Zimbabwe police reaffirm zero tolerance to violence_English_Xinhua
HARARE, June 22 (Xinhua) — Police in Zimbabwe have reaffirmed zero tolerance to violence before, after and during the June 27 presidential run-off elections, local media reported on Sunday.
The Commissioner General of the Zimbabwe Republic Police, Augustine Chihuri, said the MDC-T party and its leadership are to blame for causing political violence in the country.
Commissioner General Chihuri chronicled some of the incidents of political violence perpetrated by the MDC-T from the time of the launch of the opposition party’s campaign in Mutare.
He said the force is intensifying deployment of officers ahead of the presidential election run off on Friday.
Meanwhile, a total of 390 MDC-T activists and 156 Zanu PF supporters have been arrested in connection with political violence.
Police have reaffirmed their commitment for zero tolerance on political violence, adding that necessary force will be applied to maintain peace.
Several war veterans and Zanu PF supporters have been killed in Mashonaland east, Manicaland and Masvingo by suspected MDC thugs since the announcement of the results of the March elections.
And then there’s the view of the rest of the world:
Mugabe’s rival Tsvangirai pulls out of election
By Nelson Banya
Reuters
Sunday, June 22, 2008; 10:08 AMHARARE (Reuters) – Zimbabwean opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai pulled out of a run-off election against President Robert Mugabe on Sunday, saying a free and fair poll was impossible in the current climate of violence.
Speaking only hours after his opposition Movement for Democratic Change reported its rally had been broken up by pro-Mugabe youth militia, Tsvangirai called on the United Nations and the African Union to intervene to stop “genocide” in the former British colony.
MDC hopes poll pull-out spurs outside action: official
HARARE (Reuters) – Zimbabwe’s opposition Movement for Democratic Change hopes its withdrawal from the June 27 presidential run-off election will prompt “more serious action” from the United Nations, African Union and regional body SADC, an MDC official said on condition of anonymity.
MDC sources said on Sunday that opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai would announce that he was pulling out of the run-off with President Robert Mugabe. Tsvangirai will hold a press conference in Harare later on Sunday.
(Reporting by Nelson Banya; editing by Paul Simao)
New wave of attacks on Zimbabwe opposition ratchets up the death toll
As the runoff election nears, Robert Mugabe’s regime unleashes violence in urban areas near the capital. A rights group says there have been at least 85 deaths since the March 29 vote.
By a Times Staff Writer
June 22, 2008
HARARE, ZIMBABWE — Still and silent in the darkness last week, opposition activist Sebastian Chipiyo hid in a smelly outhouse, listening, he said, to the agonized shrieks of his brother, Archiford, being beaten just yards away by a mob of ruling party thugs. His colleague, Question Dingo, hid in the hen coop. Others roosted silently in the trees, all listening, terrified.
“I could hear the sound of the beating. It sounded like they were using heavy objects. You could hear it: Bam! Bam!” said Chipiyo, 25. “It was very painful to hear my brother crying. I couldn’t do anything because these guys were carrying guns. We heard him crying, ‘You’ve killed me; you’ve broken my ribs.’
Mugabe rival quits election race
Morgan Tsvangirai announces he will not take part in a presidential run-off, 22/06/08
Zimbabwe’s opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai says he is pulling out of Friday’s presidential run-off, handing victory to President Robert Mugabe.
Mr Tsvangirai said there was no point running when elections would not be free and fair and “the outcome is determined by… Mugabe himself”.
He called on the global community to step in to prevent “genocide”.
But the ruling Zanu-PF said Mr Tsvangirai had taken the decision to avoid “humiliation” in the poll.
The opposition decision came after its supporters, heading to a rally in the capital Harare, came under attack.
The opposition Movement for Democratic Change says at least 70 supporters have been killed in recent months.
Here’s a bit more information on the original election and the aftermath of violence – it appears that at least 120,000 “ghost” votes were somehow added to the final tally, which was officially announced (after a long, long delay) as “not an outright win” for Tsvangirai. Each polling place posted the total number of votes for each candidate, and it was a simple matter to collect the data (as it was posted online by several observing groups, so it could be verified). All the counts pointed toward an outright victory, but in the end, the count was mysteriously short.
Which view is likelier to be the true one? China is a major trade partner for Zimbabwe, and almost their only friend outside of Africa.
I’m sad to read that Tsvangirai is pulling out. This is a sad day for the people of Zimbabwe, and the world weeps for them (except for China, of course).
Editorial: A stolen victory would finally damn Mugabe | Comment is free | The Observer
When Zimbabwe’s opposition party meets in Harare tomorrow, it faces the most critical decision of its nine-year existence. In the months leading up to this week’s presidential run-off election, the Movement for Democratic Change has seen supporters brutalised, raped and murdered. They can be sure that more lives will be lost before the polls close, so should they pull out of the race?
Aborting the campaign may halt, at least temporarily, the bloodletting. It would also send a clear signal of protest against the manifest illegitimacy of the poll; after all, MDC leader Morgan Tsvangirai almost certainly won the first round outright. But pulling out would deny Zimbabweans the opportunity to punish President Robert Mugabe at the ballot box. That expression of dissent, however futile in a rigged election, is one of their few remaining rights.
Meanwhile, This Is Zimbabwe is calling on South Africans to print out flyers for VoteZim.com to be handed out to all Zimbabweans they know who may need information about safely getting home to vote.
The press is not free in Zimbabwe, and the state-controlled news organs are little more than cheerleading mouthpieces for the Mugabe regime. Independent weekly The Zimbabwean recently started a Sunday edition that’s become the country’s most-read Sunday paper. How? It’s printed in South Africa and distributed by truck; except that this Sunday’s edition won’t be arriving. The truck was hijacked and burned, and the two drivers badly beaten.
This is Zimbabwe » Blog Archive » Assault on media freedom in Zimbabwe
The Zimbabwean was established in February 2005 to stand against Mugabe’s media blackout. It exploits a loophole in Zimbabwe’s draconian anti-press legislation by being published and printed in South Africa and trucked into the country.
Despite frequently being harrassed and denounced, until this weekend every issue had made it safely to Harare, from where it was distributed throughout the country and devoured by a population starved of accurate information and fed a daily diet of the coarsest government propaganda.
Episcopal Life Online – WORLD REPORT
The controversial former bishop of Harare, Nolbert Kunonga, has been officially excommunicated, thereby stripping him of his ability to function as a cleric in the Anglican Church.
The announcement by the dean of the Church of the Province of Central Africa, the Rt. Rev. Albert Chama, comes following disturbing reports of continued harassment and violence from local police against Anglicans trying to worship in Zimbabwes capital city.
Riot Police and CIO stop Church services
HARARE – Baton-wielding riot police on Sunday burst into a number of Anglican church services across the capital Harare, disrupting mass at churches aligned with the Right Reverend Bishop Sebastian Bakare.
Bakare was appointed substantive bishop of the Harare diocese in December following the ouster of Bishop Nolbert Kunonga, Mugabe’s prominent pet bishop.