In an interview with The Zimbabwean, Reverend Clifford Dzavo, the Diocese of Harare Secretary, said the church was worried by the manner in which Kunonga has been evicting its members.
“Kunonga has issued illegal eviction orders, which he did not get through the courts, He and his priests are delivering eviction notices in the company of the police – who are well aware that a deputy sheriff should be present,” said Dzavo.
According to a High Court judgment last year, Kunonga should engage a deputy sheriff when he seeks eviction of the pastors.
“Kunonga’s thugs have been harassing our pastors. Rev Mudowaya of Chinhoyi was severely beaten,” said Dzavo.
Similar incidents have happened throughout the country as Kunonga seeks to purge the church – having had his hand strengthened by the court ruling.
In Highfields, Southerton, and St Johns Chikwakwa as well as in Mhondoro and at a number of church schools, the thugs have been invading and ejecting the pastors.
Dzavo said Kunonga had been milking the church dry as he had assumed control of schools and other church properties.
“Kunonga and the six rebels have been given that power by the judgment of Chief Justice Godfrey Chidyausiku. Constitutionally we are not obliged to recognize them,” said Dzavo.
On Wednesday lawyers representing the Anglican Church filed a Constitutional appeal against Chidyausiku’s chamber ruling on 4 August 2011.
The Chief Justice ruled that, while he reinstated the appeal by the CPCA, ‘the appeal shall not suspend the operation of the order’ – thus giving the ex-communicated Kunonga full custody of Anglican properties.
In light of these developments, clergy and members of the laity belonging to the Anglican Diocese of Harare across Harare, Mashonaland West, East and Central have been receiving threats, constant harassment and lately severe beatings from Kunonga’s hooligans, masquerading as clergy, accompanied by ‘hired thugs’.
The Diocese of Harare is demanding that Kunonga’s agents, followers and representatives should restore to the CPCA all property, movable or immovable which they seized. Dzavo said Chidyausiku’s ruling, while stating “For the avoidance of doubt, the judgment will not be suspended by the noting of an appeal against it,” had compounded the confusion even further.
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