The Rev. Dzikamai Mudenda, his wife and their extended family were forced to leave St. James Anglican Church in Mabvuku, Diocese of Harare, in the wake of a High Court judgment that Kunonga had interim custody of church properties.
Other priests living in parish rectories have received stamped copies of the High Court judgment from supporters of Kunonga who, in one case, were accompanied by the police. The priests, including Friar Joshua from Bishop Gaul College, have all been told to move out.
Bishop Chad Gandiya of Harare said Aug. 15 that alternative accommodation has been found for Mudenda and that they are preparing for the eviction of other priests.
“Our parishes are busy finding alternative accommodation for them,” he said. “We don’t know who he [Kunonga] is going to put in these houses. This is not going to be easy at all. It will disrupt their family life and ministry. I have been busy this evening getting in touch with my priests and encouraging them.”
A recent judgment in Zimbabwe’s High Court that upheld Gandiya’s appointment as Harare’s bishop also gave Kunonga custodianship of all church properties — ones that actually belong to the Church of the Province of Central Africa, which includes dioceses throughout Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Malawi.
“Kunonga was given custodianship of CPCA properties when he no longer [is] a member of our church and province and he is now evicting CPCA priests. … God help us.”
The Anglican Church in Zimbabwe has been under attack from Kunonga, since 2007. Kunonga, with the support of police and henchmen, has seized CPCA church property and used violence and to break up church services. In a recent media interview Kunonga was quoted as saying he aimed to control the 3,000 Anglican churches, schools, hospitals and other properties in Zimbabwe, Zambia, Botswana and Malawi.