Anglican Communion News Service

By ACNS staff

Reclaiming church properties has not been as easy as Anglicans in Zimbabwe had hoped with some of those trying to do so being refused entry and beaten with chains.

Writing to supporters around the Anglican Communion, Bp Chad Gandiya said that, despite a Supreme Court order recognising the cathedral as belonging to CPCA's Diocese of Harare, excommunicated bishop, Nolbert Kunonga "did not leave willingly."

"Yesterday Kunonga was evicted from the Diocesan Offices and Cathedral yesterday," he wrote. "He refused to handover three diocesan cars in his possession. He came back later with thugs with chains who started chasing people beating some (some of the guards we had hired were beaten).

"When our people reported it to the police they were shunted from one office to the other because the police said, "they were too junior to deal with the Anglican matter". Eventually they were served and riot police were sent who arrested some of the thugs and we are grateful for that.

"Kunonga himself threatened to shoot a journalist! The thugs were drinking the potent Mozambican beer called "Zed" in the Cathedral cloisters."

Eventually members of the Diocese of Harare, CPCA, did take possession of the diocesan offices and the cathedral. 

This morning, the police initially tried to prevent Bp Chad and other Anglicans from holding a morning service in the cathedral, but they were eventually allowed in. Thanks to the use of Social Media, thousands many people turned out to worship in the cathedral - the first service there since Kunonga and his followers claimed the buildng for themselves.

There are still concerns about evictions that were supposed to be carried out today which have been halted.

"We don't know by who and why," Bp Chad wrote. "These are sad developments when we were prepared to move on. Preparations for our Thanksgiving service on the 16th December are going on ahead as planned.
Its not over yet. Please continue to pray for us."

The Facebook page of Anglican Harare CPCA https://www.facebook.com/AnglicanHarareCpca has been buzzing with comments and photos about congregations returning to their churches and some of the opposition faced by returning Anglicans.

ENDS

Related News Entries

• Bishop Gandiya: "Forgiveness biggest challenge for Zimbabwe Anglicans" (February 7, 2013)
• Thousands of Anglicans in Zimbabwe celebrate return to cathedral after "life in exile" (December 16, 2012)