Bishop Kunonga seeks police protection during Anglican pilgrimage

By Lance Guma
16 June 2006

Nolbert Kunonga the Anglican Bishop for Harare has apparently asked the police to protect him from his own parishioners during the annual Bernard Mizeki pilgrimage in Marondera. The Bishop is clearly aware of the majority sentiment in the church and wants to avoid a repeat of events in 2003. In June that year Anglican parishioners held demonstrations against him at the Mizeki shrine. Over 40 parishioners from the St Mary’s cathedral in Harare waved placards denouncing the Bishop for preaching hatred and not following church rules. The parishioners at the time also denounced Bernard Malango the Archbishop of Central Africa for failing to deal with Kunonga.

Nothing has changed. The ecclesiastical trial meant to deal with the charges against Kunonga collapsed after Malawian judge James Kalaile quit under controversial circumstances. Archbishop Malango did not appoint another judge as required by the process and made a unilateral decision to exonerate Kunonga without even officially informing the complainants. A source close to the church says tempers are set to flare at the weekend gathering and Kunonga is making contingency plans for his security. ‘Zanu PF will be quite happy to ensure the Bishop is protected because he has been a staunch supporter of Mugabe,’ our source said. Its not yet clear whether the police support unit will be assigned to the Bishop or plain clothes officers will monitor the situation.

Every year around the 18th June members of the Anglican Church converge in Marondera for the Bernard Mizeki pilgrimage. He was a renowned black missionary assigned to Nhowe in 1891 who built a mission complex in the area. Although he built a good relationship with local villagers, nationalist forces considered all missionaries as working for colonial governments. During an uprising in 1896 he refused to desert his mission post and was speared to death outside his hut. Legend has it that his wife and helper saw a blinding light on the hillside where he had been lying and heard a rushing sound as though of many wings. No one saw his body after that. The place of his death has become a focus of great devotion for Anglicans and other Christians.