Row Erupts as Zimbabwe Church Official Censures Pro-Mugabe Bishop
Episcopal News Service. February 19, 2003 [2003-036-5]
The Anglican bishop of Harare, Norbert Kunonga, is facing increasing public confrontation with church leaders over his controversial support for Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe.
A long-simmering row burst into the open again February 16 when prominent lawyer and Anglican chancellor of the Harare diocese, Bob Stumbles, publicly accused Kunonga of acting 'contrary to the laws of the church' and of falsely accusing members of his congregation of plotting his assassination.
In a 20-page letter to Kunonga made public, Stumbles enumerated a long list of complaints against the bishop. Among them was the banning of Harare Cathedral's Shona choir and Kunonga's court action against 12 Anglican councilors and two churchwardens who had, said Stumbles, 'been elected legitimately.'
'This is contrary to the laws of the church,' wrote Stumbles, adding, 'Enquiries reveal that the diocesan board gave no permission to you to institute these proceedings.'
Kunonga, who is close to Mugabe, is condoning the violent seizure of white-owned farms by supporters of Mugabe's Zanu-PF political party. He is banned from travel in the United States under sanctions imposed on Mugabe and his closest associates.
Stumbles said in his letter that the bishop last year told police that some members of the Harare congregation were 'plotting his assassination.' The church chancellor also complained that Kunonga had removed 'colonial relics' from the Anglican cathedral, apparently without seeking the church's permission. Kunonga had also refused to recognize the elections of churchwardens, an issue that had erupted late last year. 'I must strongly register my protest in this connection,' said Stumbles. 'You are now saying in effect that you refuse to accept what was carried out in accordance with the laws and you will not comply with them.'
Kunonga had also appointed the former dean of the Harare diocese, Godfrey Tawonezvi, as bishop of Masvingo in southeast of Zimbabwe, even though Anglican authorities had twice passed votes of no confidence in him.