The co-ministers of Home Affairs Kembo Mohadi and Giles Mutsekwa were horrified after being shown pictures of police activities at Anglican churches where supporters of Bishop Sebastian Bakare and Nolbert Kunonga were battling for assets of the church.
The feud between Bakare and Kunonga began when the Anglican Church expelled and excommunicated Kunonga in May 2008 after he unilaterally attempted to withdraw the diocese of Harare from the Anglican Church’s Central Africa Province.
Following Kunonga’s expulsion, he attempted to create his own church, the “Church of Zimbabwe,” and claimed personal ownership of the approximately 70 Anglican churches in Zimbabwe.
Bakare said that Kunonga had absolutely no credible claim to these properties, as the Anglican Church had held title to them since 1870.
Kunonga was accused of being openly-supportive of ZANU-PF policies, a passionate critic of homosexuality, and a Mugabe apologist.
His close political ties had earned him ownership of a seized farm as well as the support of Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri.
Full cable:
Viewing cable 09HARARE283, ANGLICAN CHURCH FEUD TURNS VIOLENT; POLICE BACK
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Reference ID |
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VZCZCXRO8763
OO RUEHBZ RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHRN
DE RUEHSB #0283/01 0931133
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 031133Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY HARARE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 4325
INFO RUCNSAD/SOUTHERN AF DEVELOPMENT COMMUNITY COLLECTIVE
RUEHAR/AMEMBASSY ACCRA 2755
RUEHDS/AMEMBASSY ADDIS ABABA 2877
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 1323
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 2142
RUEHDK/AMEMBASSY DAKAR 2498
RUEHKM/AMEMBASSY KAMPALA 2925
RUEHNR/AMEMBASSY NAIROBI 5366
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RUZEJAA/JAC MOLESWORTH RAF MOLESWORTH UK
RHMFISS/EUCOM POLAD VAIHINGEN GE
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2044
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 HARARE 000283
SIPDIS
AF/S FOR B. WALCH
DRL FOR N. WILETT
ADDIS ABABA FOR USAU
ADDIS ABABA FOR ACSS
STATE PASS TO USAID FOR J. HARMON AND L. DOBBINS
STATE PASS TO NSC FOR SENIOR AFRICA DIRECTOR MICHELLE GAVIN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2019
SUBJECT: ANGLICAN CHURCH FEUD TURNS VIOLENT; POLICE BACK
ZANU-PF BISHOP
Classified By: Ambassador James D. McGee for reason 1.4 (d)
——-
SUMMARY
——-
¶1. (C) The head of the Anglican Church in Harare, Bishop
Sebastian Bakare, met with poloff on March 31 to discuss the
escalating feud and resultant violence stemming from the
rivalry between the official Anglican Church and a rogue
faction headed by Bakare’s predecessor, expelled Bishop
Nolbert Kunonga. During the past couple of weeks, police
have barred Anglican Church worshippers from holding services
and have used tear gas and riot police to break up
congregations in Harare-area parishes. One bystander was
sho as police haphazardly fired warning shots. Police
Commissioner Augustine Chihuri has unabashedly supported
Kunonga. The MDC and ZANU-PF co-ministers of Home Affairs
called in both rivals to quell the animosity, but ultimately
deferred the matter to the Attorney General’s office. END
SUMMARY.
——————————————— —
After Expulsion ZANU-PF Bishop Claims Properties
——————————————— —
¶2. (C) The feud between the interim head of the Anglican
Church in Harare, Bishop Sebastian Bakare, and his
predecessor, former head Bishop Nolbert Kunonga, began when
the Anglican Church expelled and excommunicated Kunonga in
May 2008 after he unilaterally attempted to withdraw the
diocese of Harare from the Anglican Church’s Central Africa
Province. Kunonga lost the support of church parishioners
for being openly-supportive of ZANU-PF policies, a passionate
critic of homosexuality, and a Mugabe apologist. Kunonga’s
close political ties earned him ownership of a seized farm as
well as the support of Police Commissioner Augustine Chihuri.
Bakare told poloff that he had a copy of a letter from
Kunonga to Chihuri, thanking him for his police support.
¶3. (C) Following Kunonga’s expulsion, he attempted to create
his own church, the “Church of Zimbabwe,” and claimed
personal ownership of the approximately 70 Anglican churches
in Zimbabwe. Bakare said that Kunonga has absolutely no
credible claim to these properties, as the Anglican Church
had held title to them since 1870. Various cases have been
brought before Zimbabwe’s High Court to legally resolve the
issue; however, the High Court has failed to make a
definitive ruling. Bakare said that the case had become a
joke, as often times Kunonga’s lawyers failed to appear. He
believed that political pressure had prevented the court from
upholding the Anglican Church’s case. The High Court did
provide the recommendation that the two rivals share use of
church facilities, dividing access into morning and evening
segments. However, Kunonga did not approve of this
compromise and had told his supporters to lock all buildings.
Bakare, in turn, has refused to be barred and has
aggressively pushed forward, gaining access to some churches
Qaggressively pushed forward, gaining access to some churches
and urging his supporters to hold services outside of locked
parishes.
—————————————–
Police Intimidate and Teargas Worshippers
—————————————–
¶4. (SBU) Riot police began appearing at Anglican services
throughout Harare and surrounding areas during the past two
weeks. At a Bakare sermon in Mabvuku last week, riot police
attempted to remove him from the altar. Bakare refused to
budge, though the police were able to drive his parishioners
HARARE 00000283 002 OF 002
out of the church.
¶5. (SBU) Then on March 29 skirmishes broke out in Budiriro
and Glenview between police and parishioners. One bystander
was accidentally shot in the arm as police fired warning
shots. Tear gas was used on worshippers in Glen Norah and
Highfield, and in Glen View police were waiting inside a
church to ambush parishioners. These locations are all
Harare townships. Two priests, a church warden, and two
church members have been arrested in relation to these
incidents.
—————————————-
Ministry of Home Affairs Punts to the AG
—————————————-
¶6. (C) Bishop Bakare and Kunonga were invited to meet with
the two Home Affairs ministers, Giles Mutsekwa of the MDC-T
and Kembo Mohadi of ZANU-PF, on April 1. After being shown
pictures of the police activities at churches, Bakare said
that the two ministers )- under whom oversight of the police
falls — were “horrified.” They intended to take steps to
quell the police activities, but referred ultimate
arbitration of the matter to the Attorney General’s office.
(COMMENT: The Attorney General is a ZANU-PF stalwart, and it
would be unreasonable to believe he would support Bakare’s
position. END COMMENT.)
——-
COMMENT
——-
¶7. (C) Police involvement in the Anglican Church feud is an
indication that law and order continues to be politicized in
Zimbabwe. Despite co-management of Home Affairs by the
MDC-T, Chihuri appears to still wield operational control of
the police. MDC-T Home Affairs Minister Mutsekwa’s actions
and public statements indicate that he is carefully walking a
political tightrope — aware of police abuses, but leery of
implementing change too rapidly and alienating himself. A
test will be to see the police reaction to this Sunday’s
services, as well as a mass on April 9 where all the Anglican
priests will be present for the annual rededication of their
vows. END COMMENT.
MCGEE
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