Religion, like politics, is often a dangerous business in this country.
As President Robert Mugabe, 87, pushes for an election this year, the harassment of independent churches seen as hostile to his government has intensified.
Truncheon-wielding riot police officers stormed a Nazarene church here in the capital last month to break up a gathering called to pray for peace. Days later, the authorities in Lupane arrested a Roman Catholic priest leading a memorial service for civilians massacred in the early years of Mr. Mugabe’s decades in power.
Mr. Mugabe, a Roman Catholic, recently denounced black bishops in established churches as pawns of whites and the West, singling out for special opprobrium Catholic bishops who have “a nauseating habit of unnecessarily attacking his person,” the state-controlled Herald newspaper reported.
Good on TNYT and yourself for highlighting this. + Chad and his family and others seriously need our prayers – and financial support if possible.
Yes, prayers for them. Idi Amin caused +Luwum to be martyred, and this contributed materially to his downfall, but in the meantime Amin caused great suffering to the faithful. May they be spared in Zimbabwe.