The Zimbabwe Supreme Court has handed the breakaway bishop of Harare, Dr. Nolbert Kunonga a surprise loss and ordered he turn over the diocese’s churches to the lawful bishop, Dr. Chad Gandiya.
The decision caps five years of legal battles between Dr. Kunonga and the Church of the Province of Central Africa and its bishops of Harare, Dr. Sebastian Bakare and Dr. Gandiya. It has also been marked by violent intimidation of Anglicans loyal to the province ”“ estimated to be over 90 per cent of its members ”“ with the security services and police intervening on behalf of Dr. Kunonga to drive Anglicans out of their churches.
Pray this [i]de jure[/i] decision becomes truly [i]de facto[/i]. Unfortunately, in Zimbabwe things are never quite what they seem. Much mischief is still possible, brought on by NK’s supporters. And so, +Chad and his family need our prayers still, as do all the everyday parishioners and parish clergy.
Yes, Art is right, the difficulty will be in implementing this decision, as the police (ZRP) are firmly in the grip of Mugabe’s henchmen. However, I hope it is a straw in the wind for shifting perceptions in Zimbabwe as a whole.