“Kunonga still a nuisance in Masvingo,” Bp Godfrey
By Bellah Zulu, ACNS
An Anglican bishop in Zimbabwe has appealed to the education office in his area not to turn one of his church buildings into a school following speculations that ex-communicated bishop Nolbert Kunonga and his supporters are planning to turn St Luke’s Church into a community school.
In a letter to the Provincial Education Director in his area, seen by ACNS, Bishop of Masvingo the Rt Revd Godfrey Tawonezvi said that while he was not against the idea of establishing a school in his area, “We are opposed to our church building being turned into a school.”
The Bishop revealed that Kunonga and his followers are still illegally occupying St Luke’s Church and said, “Kunonga is still a nuisance in the Diocese of Masvingo. He and the District Education Officer for Chikomba District are working tirelessly to turn St Luke's Church into a community School.”
He explained: “We are resisting this move even though the local Chief is supporting Kunonga and is using his muscle as a Chief in drumming up support for him. Kunonga and his followers continue to illegally occupy St Luke's & St Peter's Churches disregarding the Supreme Court Ruling but we will never give up.”
For many years Anglicans in Zimababwe had nowhere to worship after breakaway bishop Dr Nolbert Kunonga and his supporters grabbed church properties including churches, schools and orphanages. Priests and staff were evicted from church-owned buildings, worshippers threatened, and pilgrims kept from visiting key religious sites.
Last year a Supreme Court ruling stated that the properties rightfully belonged to Anglicans who were part of the Church of the Province of Central Africa, not Kunonga and his supporters.
St Luke’s Anglican Church has been an outstation for the Daramombe Mission in Zimbabwe since its establishment. Both Daramombe Mission and St Luke’s Church fall under the Anglican Diocese of Masvingo.
“On January 9, Education Officer Planning, Mr Mangwiro and Mr Gwaringa, an official from Civil Service Commission of Chikomba District, visited St Luke’s Anglican Church, Bvumbura in Chikomba District,” said Bp Tawonezvi.
“Their visit follows a request by the Chikomba District Education Officer, M. Mujuru to establish a School at Bvumbura using our Church property.”
Bp Tawonezvi has since advised the education office to consider using the “plenty of idle land at Bvumbura if they want to establish a school” and not “our church property since it was canonically consecrated and set apart to the honour of Almighty God and to His service and worship only.”