The Church on earth is made up of human organisations which, as such, are fallible. Because of this fallibility there have always been disagreements and divisions even from its very formation. In the book of Acts we read about how the apostles Paul and Barnabas “had such a sharp disagreement that they parted company.” Acts 15:39
Divisions in the Church were mostly based on personality, governance, administrative and theological issues. This is why there are so many church denominations world-wide. On the whole these denominations recognise each other and work together as in the Ecumenical Movement. In Zimbabwe these churches work together, without acrimony, through umbrella bodies like the Zimbabwe Council of Churches and the Evangelical Fellowship of Zimbabwe.
What happened in the Anglican Church was not division over the issue of homosexuality as reported some misguided journalists, especially those of The Herald. There has never been division in the Anglican Church, which is part of the Church of the Province of Central Africa (CPCA). The whole thing was an attempt by the greedy, power-hungry and now excommunicated Bishop Nolbert Kunonga to wrest power and property from the Church for himself.
In order to achieve his nefarious goal Kunonga used Zanu (PF), which he knew was desperate for the support of churches. This desperation was so acute that it led Mugabe, a baptised Catholic, to attend a Passover service of the Johane Masowe Apostolic Church dressed in their white garments and carrying a staff like one of the faithful.
There is nothing Christian about Kunonga. He is just one of many crafty individuals who have used the Church for their nefarious ends. In order to escape the grinding poverty, which is part and parcel of life in Zimbabwe today, many have become “pastors, bishops, prophets and apostles.” They lure the gullible to their services and relieve them of their money by promising them material blessings and the healing of their sicknesses. Upon noticing this, a poor niece once said to me, “Sekuru, you know the Bible; you can preach and people like you. Why don’t you start your own church so that you can be also become rich like Makandiwa. He is now helping his poor relatives and you can be helping us, too.”
It is an open secret that some, if not most, of Zimbabwe’s richest men and women, who were poor a few years ago, are leaders of a particular political party. They used their influential positions in the party to amass immeasurable wealth. At what was supposed to be a student lecture, wealthy businessman Phillip Chiyangwa told students, “Do you want to be rich? Then, join Zanu (PF). I used to be poor myself but became rich by joining Zanu (PF).”
This lesson was not lost on Kunonga who was just a poor bishop in the Anglican Church. He had worked hard to worm his way up to reach the high position of bishop but nothing had changed much. By his own standards, he was still poor. The Church’s inherent system of accountability did not give him personal control of any real wealth. He looked at the Church’s missions, schools, clinics, hospitals, orphanages, houses, cars and buildings and decided to use Zanu (PF) as others were doing.
Kunonga knew that Zanu (PF) was desperate for the support of church leaders and their multitude of followers. He also knew that President Robert Mugabe has a phobic hatred for homosexual behaviour. He, therefore, announced his support for Zanu (PF) and that he was breaking away from the Anglican Church, together with a majority of its membership, because it supported homosexuality. He also praised the party’s land-grab policies and declared that Mugabe was “God’s second son” after Jesus. The President and the party were delighted and received him with open arms. He became the doyen of the party and officiated at all its public functions and even government ones.
In 2007 Kunonga made his move. He claimed that all Church property belonged to him and he used violence to take-over the church’s properties. The Church ex-communicated him and took the matter to court. People were stunned when judge of the High Court, Ben Hlatwayo ruled in favour of Kunonga, and his small group of followers, most of them Zanu (PF) activists. Violence against priests and members of the Church who refused to join him thus commenced in earnest. This time armed police were there to support him. Faithful church members were dragged out of their churches, while worshipping God, and beaten mercilessly.
At a meeting organised by the Christian Alliance, Retired Bishop Sebastian Bakare, who was asked by the Church to take over Harare Diocese after Kunonga broke away, had to fight back tears as he chronicled how police and Kunonga thugs stormed a communion service he was holding and beat up worshippers. He said a defiant woman, who was expecting, refused to leave the church and was so savagely beaten that she had to be taken to hospital where she miscarried.
For five long years the Anglican Church suffered all manner of persecution at the hands of Kunonga and his political thugs. He ordained some of them even though they had no theological training of any sort. Some of them cannot even recite John 3:16 which any Sunday school toddler can recite. Their violence and abuse of Christians and church properties is well documented.
The Bible says, “God works in mysterious ways.” As time went on Zanu (PF) discovered that Kunonga did not have any following to deliver. The Anglican Church, though suffering and worshipping under trees, was in fact growing stronger. Even Zanu (PF) ministers and other party leaders who are Anglicans openly attended churches belonging to the so-called “Chad Gandiya faction.” It became clear to Zanu (PF) political strategists that by continuing to support Kunonga they were in danger of losing the very large Anglican constituency.
Now, the chickens have come home to roost. The Supreme Court has ruled against Bishop Nolbert Kunonga and his so-called church. The party and the police are openly snubbing him. His ill-gotten wealth and power are no more. He is utterly disgraced. One prays that he will not go and hang himself like Judas Iscariot did.
Post published in: News