Hope and Lies in Zimbabwe

Bishop Mwamba with his cathedral chapter. Fr Archford Musodza far right

The Church of England News describes the continuing struggle between the government-backed Nolbert Kunonga and Bishop Sebastian Bakare.

The article includes some details of an attempted smear of Archford Musodza, using forged letters,

On Sept 7 the state controlled press charged the former Dean of Bishop Gaul
Theological College in Harare, the Ven. Archford Musodza of conniving with
foreign powers and former members of the Ian Smith regime to overthrow the
government and oust Dr. Kunonga.

Driven into exile, Dr. Musodza is currently archdeacon of Northern Botswana. The Herald charged Botswana was a “financial, diplomatic and propaganda rear-base from which to divide and destabilise Zimbabwe on behalf of the British and the North Americans.”

Dr. Musodza and the Diocese of Botswana were agents of Anglo-American foreign policy, the Herald said, and were circulating a “shooting list of Zimbabwean patriots.”

...

Dr. Musodza explained “I am one of those that Kunonga does not want to see,” and the forged letters were a preemptive strike launched by controversial former bishop to discredit the opposition. However, the people of Harare will not be intimidated by Dr. Kunonga and his “stooges,” he said.

Bishop Bakare continues to build for the future:

On Oct 26, Dr. Bakare will kick off the Nehemiah Festival, with a service at the
Harare Showground, where he will confirm 1000 people. Bibles, Prayer Books,
devotional materials and other church goods will be offered for sale to raise
money to rebuild the diocese.

“Every Anglican in the Diocese of Harare has a role to play in the rebuilding of the church through donations in cash and or in kind,” Patrick Mahari, the Chairman of the Nehemiah Committee told The Zimbabwean.

All here

And the collapse of the power-sharing deal can only make things worse for almost everyone.