SW Radio Africa
By Tererai Karimakwenda
6 October, 2011
The ex-communicated Anglican Bishop, Nolbert Kunonga, has struck another blow at the Church Province of Central Africa (CPCA), by serving eviction notices on all the teachers at St Mark’s in Mhondoro, where hundreds of students are due to take exams next week.
False Bishop, Nolbert Kunonga
Reverend Sydney Chirombe told SW Radio Africa that they have been given 48 hours to vacate the premises, or face the embarrassment of forced evictions. “We are in a dilemma right now and do not know where to put our belongings,†Reverend Chirombe said. About 900 students will be affected.
The eviction notices were delivered by a messenger for the deputy sheriff, Kadoma, and signed by Job Zabaya of Chikumbirike Associates. Chirombe said the reason given is that members of the CPCA should not teach in schools belonging to the Church Province of Zimbabwe (CPZ).
Kunonga split from the CPCA in 2007and formed the CPZ, but has failed to gain support from parishioners. He has used a controversial recent court ruling granting him custody of church properties to evict nurses, teachers and clergy from the CPCA, without considering the children and parishioners they serve. Kunonga also has support from Robert Mugabe and the police.
The renegade bishop is also allegedly planning to protest a visit by the Archbishop of Canterbury, Rowan Williams, who is due in Zimbabwe this weekend as part of his tour of Central Africa. He has requested a meeting with Robert Mugabe. Reports say the Archbishop plans to hold a service in the National Sports Stadium in Harare on Sunday, because Kunonga’s followers would not allow him to use the main Cathedral or other buildings.
The CPCA Harare Diocese is headed by Bishop Chad Gandiya, whose home was targetted by thugs last month in a robbery that was described as “suspiciousâ€. The thieves got away with the family’s laptops and mobile phones.
Meanwhile Zimbabwe’s Minister of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture, David Coltart, told SW Radio Africa the evictions were disturbing but he could not intervene because no formal complaints had been received from the affected schools.
Minister Coltart confirmed that he had ordered a detailed investigation into the children and teachers who were evicted by Kunonga’s thugs from church buildings he seized in Murehwa district.