Anglican cleric sees Mugabe as his boss

Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe has fanatical followers. One, Norbert Kunonga, is rendering a disservice.

He has a self-bestowed title: Archbishop, Anglican Province of Zimbabwe. He created it by grabbing—and counting—the property of the Church Province of Central Africa, CPCA, a worldwide Anglican Communion member.

Kunonga began ingratiating himself to Mugabe and ZANU-PF party before a controversially election as the Harare Diocese bishop. His ingratiation now heads toward Genuflection.

This is a brief body lowering and bending a knee to the ground as a sign of respect. Catholics are good at it.

As one—Ha!—Mugabe would embrace the gesture as a golden chalice. Forget the division Kunonga has caused among the country’s Anglicans.

Clerics are entitled to political views. Ex-communicated, Kunonga though is beyond that. Two weeks ago he announced support for Mugabe’s next candidacy.

He has said Mugabe is “...a prophet of God who was sent to deliver the people of Zimbabwe from bondage.”

Morgan Tsvangirai, leader of opposition Movement for Democratic Change, is “evil.”

Additionally, Mugabe critics champion homosexuality, support Western sanctions, and oppose indigenization.

His 200-strong priest shock troopers listened. Backed by security agencies and pro-Mugabe judges, they have helped—and helping—Kunonga grab highly-valued CPCA property: churches, schools, and clinics, among others.

Kunonga’s charges aren’t true. Nobody wants to impose homosexuality or lesbianism on Zimbabweans. The sanctions hurt the country because targeted Mugabe & Co. have appropriated its wealth.

Moses Mzila-Ndlovu, whose MDC faction rivals Tsvangirai’s, rightly, likened Kunonga to a ZANU-PF commissar. Mzila-Ndlovi is co-minister in the Organ on National Healing Reconciliation and Integrations.

He argued, “If something is evil, it means people should eliminate it...” The implication: the MDC should be vanquished.
That’s urging violence. Mzila-Ndlovu’s assessment: “…there is no difference between what he (Kunonga) says and what a ZANU-PF commissar says.”

Kunonga lied to create his church province. He set out four years ago to disassociate the Harare Diocese from the Anglican Communion over tolerance of homosexuals, people with a natural condition.

The CPCA’s position differs from what Kunonga alleges. The Harare Diocesan secretary, Reverend Clifford Dzavo, clarifies: “In terms of Canon 22, marriage is between one man and one woman and in consequence, homosexuality is not acceptable in the CPCA…

“Whatever happens in other provinces worldwide does not affect us, as we do not necessarily share the same views with them. We, therefore, want to reiterate that the CPCA does not condone homosexuality.”

Yet Kunonga characterised a recent visit by the Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams as a promotion of homosexuality. Mugabe lectured the archbishop on Biblical teachings on homosexuality and Zimbabweans’ values.

From all accounts, the churches Kunonga has seized aren’t overflowing with worshippers.