Ncube claims plot to kill him
by Gunther Simmermacher
02/09/2009 00:00:00
THE former Catholic archbishop of Bulawayo says Zimbabwe's
state security agents still want to assassinate him over his
criticism of human rights violations under President Robert Mugabe.
Archbishop Pius Ncube, 62, who now lives in western Zimbabwe's Hwange Diocese, made his claims in a letter to South Africa's national Catholic weekly, The Southern Cross, with the request that Catholics pray for him. The Southern Cross published Archbishop Ncube's letter in its Sept. 2 edition.
Before his resignation as head of the Bulawayo Archdiocese in September 2007 after having had an affair with a woman, Archbishop Ncube was internationally known as one of Mugabe's most vocal critics.
Mugabe has frequently attacked Archbishop Ncube in speeches and interviews. Even before his resignation, the archbishop said he was being harassed routinely.
"Where I now live, every two weeks the state intelligence is there to visit me, which they never did when I was in Bulawayo. I now refuse to talk to them," he told The Southern Cross.
He said he was being followed by car and alleged that his telephone and fax lines were being tampered with. Communications are intercepted and blocked or delayed, Archbishop Ncube said.
"My attitude is that the government of Zimbabwe has no right to hound me and get me out of Zimbabwe," he said. "I have a right and duty to live in Zimbabwe. This has been their method to intimidate thousands of their critics so that they leave the country."
He said that, "in compliance with the suggestions from the Vatican," he has abstained from publicly criticizing the government, "a thing which is alien to my convictions."
"I do not agree with quiet diplomacy when people are suffering," he said.
However, he added, that those who are harassing him "are not more powerful than God and our spiritual mother Mary."
"I ask the people of God to help me by their prayers for my protection," he said. "I thank all those who pray for me. I will continue to pray for the delivery of Africa from tyranny."
In his letter, Archbishop Ncube referred to an incident last year when a bomb he believes was intended to kill him injured a priest instead.
On April 6, 2008, Archbishop Ncube was still out of the country, but the government allegedly heard a rumor that he had returned.
"They therefore made an arrangement to kill me," Archbishop Ncube said.
"They planted a bomb in my car. A priest used my car," he said, and about 12 miles from Bulawayo the priest -- whom Archbishop Ncube declined to name to protect him from repercussions -- noticed that he was being followed by two cars.
Archbishop Ncube alleged that the people following the priest "detonated a bomb and the (priest's) car swerved and fell into the ditch." He added that he had been advised to get a driver for security reasons, and the bomb specifically targeted the passenger side of the vehicle.
"Had the bomb been directed to the driver, this priest would have died instantly," the archbishop said.
While the priest was lightly injured and covered in debris, the cars that had followed him passed without stopping or investigating.
"A third car, driven by a Chinese man, stopped nearby," Archbishop Ncube said. The driver allegedly proceeded to take photographs of the scene.
"The priest asked (the man) why he did not help him rather than photograph him, since he was injured. (The man) nervously scurried away and drove off fast," Archbishop Ncube said, adding that it was nearly four hours before the priest was taken to a hospital. - Catholic News Service
Labels: ASSASSINATION, MDC, PIUS NCUBE
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My faith being challenged
Nancy Nyamhunga—Opinion
Wed, 16 Jul 2008 21:00:00 +0000
WHEN I hear and see Dr Sentamu, Pius Ncube and Desmond Tutu among other notable “man of the cloth” advocating military intervention in Zimbabwe, I ask myself whether Christianity itself is evil or it is being abused by few attention-seeking individuals to further some evil causes.
I was born and bred in a very Christian family – so much so that my parents’ had to abandon their first choice for my name which was a Shona name in favour of “Christian name”.
My mother had wanted to call me Chenai, but the then Anglican priest at our local parish would not accept the name as it did not sound Christian for me to be baptized. My father, being a great fan of Frank Sinatra then, opted for Nancy (Sinatra’s wife), and the baptism was conferred. I still haven’t found any relationship between the name Nancy and some notable characters in the bible – all I have proved beyond doubt is that the name sound very English.
My up-bringing was very much influenced by Christianity – at least from what I used to believe were Christian values. As a little girl I was a member of the Brownies and I used to love my little brown uniform with a yellow sash across. Later I graduated to the Girl Guides membership.
All the while all our teachings were about loving one another, helping those who were less fortunate in society, respecting our parents, our elders etc. I can even still sing the Brownie motto today:
I promise that I will do my best
To serve my duty to God
To serve my country and other people
And to keep the Brownie law
Yet today, my very faith is being challenged by those who supposedly represent Christianity. Where is Dr Sentamu’s love for Zimbabweans when he advocates mass bombs to be dropped on the streets of Zimbabwe? Bombs are designed to cause mass murder, yet a representative of a church I grew up believing to represent love and peace sanctions such actions.
Pius Ncube, apart from committing adultery whilst at the helm of the highest office of the Catholic Church in Zimbabwe, has never regretted his call for military intervention in Zimbabwe; he has asked the South African government several times to cut-off electricity supplies to Zimbabwe. He doesn’t care about how such actions will inevitably speed up the death of someone who might have lived a bit longer.
Sanctions - in whatever form they are packaged in - are designed to cause mass pain, and ultimately death. Desmond Tutu has not been left behind in the race.
What I cannot understand from these men of cloth is – if they are for peace and love, why do they not come together and travel to Zimbabwe and meet the political leadership there?
Why are they not taking this initiative to act as mediators between Zimbabwe and UK given their views are highly respected in the western countries? Why are they instead choosing to sanction mass murders- something contrary to Christian teachings?
I have asked so many questions lately with regards to Christianity and events happening in Zimbabwe without getting any answers. I still have many such questions. Who appoints the top leadership of churches in Zimbabwe and Africa in general especially with regards to traditional churches, and what criteria are used. Is it someone’s faith in Christian values or political inclination?
Yet it is not just these men I have mentioned who have challenged my faith.
I once attended a Shona catholic service in UK and the priest was constantly referring to the “brutality of the Zimbabwean government” at every given opportunity. He even went to state that finally the Catholic Church had “eventually found a way of ex-communicating Mugabe, basically he ex-communicated himself”, to use his own words.
Not that it would bother me if such an event had indeed happened; if laws are broken in any organisation then we all expect to be punished.
My concern was whether this was meant to be a normal church service or a political rally. I didn’t expect that kind of language from a church priest. I was expecting some kind of solace, respite from the intoxicating politics of Zimbabwe and here unexpectedly I was being lectured about the same politics.
Is there something wrong with today’s Christianity or is it a case of abuse of office? Should churches be involved in politics and if so, which role should the church play? I would have thought churches are supposed to be conciliatory, act as bridges between warring factions but never expect the churches or those who lead them to fan wars. Perhaps I’m the one who is ignorant.
Whilst I’m locked in this self-imposed battle, I’m struggling to keep my old Christian faith, that which taught me to respect my all my elders, more so those who are suppose to represent Christian values. Meanwhile I get inspired by characters like Bishop T.D. Jakes and refuse to recognize the above men of cloth as representatives of Christianity, but as politicians camouflaged in the philanthropic world to cheat their way into high political offices.
Nancy Nyamhunga
Leicester, United Kingdom
Labels: COLOUR REVOLUTIONS, DESMOND TUTU, NEOCOLONIALISM, PIUS NCUBE
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Ncube plans returning to Zimbabwe
By Kingsley Kaswende in Harare
Thursday July 10, 2008 [04:00]
THE former Catholic archbishop of Bulawayo Pius Ncube has said he plans to return to Zimbabwe to be with his people even if it means death.
Ncube, who is now a bishop after his ranks were stripped following an adultery scandal last year, has been in England since June 2007.
He resigned from his post following accusations, which he admitted, that he committed adultery with a church member in what he believes was a sting operation organised by the Central Intelligence Organisation to embarrass him for criticising the Zimbabwean regime.
Independent Catholic News quoted the Bishop as telling parishioners in England last Sunday that he had been in England to "pray, study and rest", but that "a shepherd must be with his flock, even if it means death".
The congregation, which included a number of Zimbabwean exiles, burst into spontaneous applause at this news.
Bishop Ncube told churchgoers who greeted him after mass that since he had been in the UK, he only ate once a day since "in Zimbabwe many eat only once every three days."
During his homily, the bishop focused on the theme of humility and the need for prayer.
He said leaders needed to be humble, following the example of Jesus Christ.
"More than 500 years before Jesus was born, Zechariah foresaw that there would be a Messiah. Jesus is that King who is going to bring peace to the world, but He is a humble king, riding on a donkey. Usually kings used to ride on horses. Jesus says that it is the humble people who are builders of peace," he said.
Bishop Ncube said the proud people were destroying the world.
"When Hitler spoke, he shook up people. But what did he bring? War. Forty million people perished in the Second World War, because this man was so full of himself and so full of pride.
Stalin was a proud man. Mao Tse Tung a murderer responsible for the death of 70 million people during the war in China," he said. "Mugabe, our President, who got into power by hook and by crook, and this time we hear during the election he changed the results, and went around beating up people, shooting some of them. And he has forbidden the non-governmental organisations to give food to those people who supported the opposition. That's pride."
Bishop Ncube proceeded to give the examples of Princess Diana, Mahatma Gandhi and Nelson Mandela as some of the humble leaders who touched the world.
Labels: PIUS NCUBE
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Pius Ncube adultery saga not political
EDITOR — It is unfortunate that the Pius Ncube adultery saga is being viewed by some from a political angle when it is a social, religious doctrine case. Why should Pius, who publicly confirmed on national TV to the adultery, be considered a victim? The truth of the matter is that this case has nothing to do with him being a critic of the Government of Zimbabwe. Does that give him, if he did what he is accused of having done, the privilege to go around sleeping with women when the religious doctrine he swore to does not allow him to do so?
I do not think it is morally right to confuse issues, or is it being done to portray him as some kind of a saint when he publicly confessed to the adultery. It is unfortunate that some are choosing to see the other side and yet the man is sweating because he knows the evils he committed.
Of course, prior to the serving of summons, President Mugabe might have said that Catholic clergy swear to celibacy but later on engage in sexual activities, this is so because he is a practising Catholic and may have knowledge of what goes on within the church circles.
While one is presumed innocent until proven guilty, but what happens when one concedes the allegations, do we say he is innocent? If it were a criminal offence, would the judge enter a not guilty or guilty verdict?
Pius must face the music.
He should pay for all the lies he has peddled to the outside world, justice will prevail in the end and those who are lying about Zimbabwe would one day be judged.
It will not happen today, tomorrow, next year or in five years time, but we will all be judged for our deeds.
So in all what we do let fair play prevail, let us not be swayed by the crowd, be it our employers, buddies, and so on.
I know for one that lying is a sin, and for those of us who believe that judgment day will come, let’s tread carefully because we do not know when that day will be upon us.
Pius’ case has nothing to do with President Mugabe.
He did what he did by himself, so let him answer what he is being alleged to have done by himself.
"If a man is naked, please let us not tell him he is wearing a three-piece suit".
The only thing we can do is pray for Pius so that he can be forgiven for his transgressions, and given the strength to resist temptation.
Surfing Café.
Harare.
Labels: PIUS NCUBE, THE HERALD
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Zimbabwe to step up price blitz, slammed by US
17/07/2007 17:00 HARARE, July 17 (AFP)
Zimbabwe's government was set to intensify its pricing crackdown, despite being condemned by the White House on Tuesday as a reckless move that would further fuel inflation and exacerbate food shortages.
Nathan Shamuyarira, ZANU-PF's secretary for information and publicity, said a meeting of the party's politburo on Monday, chaired by President Robert Mugabe, had decided to extend the three-week old Operation Dzikiza (Operation Reduced Prices) as it had already shown to have brought prices down.
"We got a full report from the ministerial taskforce and the politburo was very impressed that prices were coming down," Shamuyarira was quoted as saying on the website of the state-run Herald newspaper.
"The politburo came up with a number of measures to tighten and intensify the process and these will be tabled before the central committee ... but we were quite impressed with the process."
The central committee's recommendations will then be "implemented by the relevant arms of government," said the Herald without giving further details.
Retailers and manufacturers, grappling to cope with an inflation rate now believed to be well over 5,000 percent, had been raising their prices several times a day until the government ordered prices to be cut in half on June 26.
Some 3,000 retailers and manufacturers have been subsequently arrested for violating the edict, most of whom have been slapped with fines.
Manufacturers have said the government-imposed prices mean they are unable to cover their costs and stores are fast running out of supplies, although the black market is prospering as a result.
With affordable food fast running, the United States government announced it would send 47,400 metric tons of additional food aid to Zimbabwe as President George W. Bush's spokesman delivered a withering assessment of the price blitz.
"The regime's reckless attempts to address self-imposed hyperinflation have resulted in the arrest of at least 2,000 businesspeople, widespread hoarding and profiteering by police and government officials, and shortage of basic staples," said Tony Snow.
"Its irresponsible economic policies will only worsen inflation, unemployment, growing food shortages, and poverty," he said, adding that more than four million Zimbabweans were projected to go hungry.
Snow said Washington would provide 47,400 metric tons of additional food assistance to ease the suffering of roughly half a million Zimbabweans, and that total US aid would feed about 1.4 million until Zimbabwe's 2008 harvest.
Mugabe, barred from the United States and European Union over allegations he rigged his re-election in 2002, has repeatedly told his Western critics to stop interfering in the country he has ruled since independence in 1980.
One of his most outspoken domestic opponents, Bulawayo Archbishop Pius Ncube, has previously called on outside help to topple Mugabe but his image as head of the Catholic Church took a battering Tuesday when state media published pictures that appeared to show him in bed with a married woman.
A lawyer for Ncube said the archbishop was challenging an adultery suit filed by the woman's husband.
Labels: ECONOMY, PIUS NCUBE, ZIMBABWE
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Mugabe critic sued for adultery
A prominent critic of President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, the Roman Catholic Archbishop of Bulawayo, Pius Ncube, is being sued for alleged adultery. The lawsuit has been filed by the husband of a woman who worked as a secretary in the archbishop's office. Lawyers for Archbishop Ncube called the allegations an orchestrated attempt to discredit him.
The archbishop, who denies the allegations, has openly denounced Mr Mugabe as a "megalomaniac". Earlier this month in an interview with the BBC, he argued that a case could be made for the overthrow of the president.
Zimbabwean state radio said Onesimus Sibanda was demanding 20 billion Zimbabwe dollars (about $160,000, or £80,000 on the country's black market exchange rate) in damages from the archbishop.
It said his wife, Rosemary Sibanda, had "admitted the affair to" the state broadcasting company. Attorney Nick Matonzi said it was "some kind of orchestrated attempt to embarrass the archbishop", who he said would deny the allegations in court.
Earlier this year, Archbishop Ncube called for mass street protests and said people must be prepared to stand in front of "blazing guns" to force Mr Mugabe from power.
Labels: PIUS NCUBE, ZIMBABWE
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Zimbabwe crisis 'threatens lives'
Archbishop Ncube says Zimbabweans are desperateRoman Catholic Archbishop of Bulawayo Pius Ncube says the political and economic situation in Zimbabwe has reached "life-threatening proportions". He accused President Robert Mugabe's government of not taking responsibility for the deepening crisis. He says there is almost no fuel in the country, and every day, people are reduced to hunting for a loaf of bread. The archbishop said it had reached a point where regional political intervention was now needed.
Talks between Zimbabwe's ruling party and the opposition resumed in South Africa this week, with President Thabo Mbeki responsible for mediating.
'Megalomaniac'
But Archbishop Ncube said he doubted that President Mugabe would step down as Zimbabwe's leader, in return for an amnesty deal. "Mugabe is a man who is a megalomaniac. He loves power, he lives for power. Even his own party are pleading with him - 'Please stand down, you've done enough good'. "According to Zanu-PF he's done a lot of good, according to me, he's done a lot of evil."
Archbishop Ncube was speaking in Johannesburg as the Solidarity Peace Trust, a church-based non-governmental organisation, launched a new report on the crisis in Zimbabwe. In its report, the Solidarity Peace Trust, says there has been increasing state repression against dissenting voices since March when many members of the opposition were arrested and beaten.
It also says the governing party in Zimbabwe, Zanu-PF, has lost much of its political legitimacy. Mr Mugabe blames the worsening economic crisis on a Western plot to remove him from power.
Labels: MUGABE, PIUS NCUBE, ZIMBABWE
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