Riot police had to be called in at several Anglican churches in Harare and Chitugwiza as clashes between rival factions aligned to Bishops Nolbert Kunonga and Sebastian Bakare erupted.

Bishop Nolbert Kunonga

Bakare was appointed head of the Harare Diocese to replace Kunonga who led the church in withdrawing from the Province of Central Africa in a move that has seen seriously dividend parishioners and ultimately triggered violence that is uncharacteristic with the house of God.

At St Andrew’s Church in Glen View parishioners aligned to Bishop Bakare had to use machetes to open the church doors as the resident priest Father Martin Zifoti allegedly refused to hand over the keys to the church.

Zifoti is said to have argued that the pro Bakare camp was a “rebel” group that had no right to use the church until they recognise the politically aligned Bishop Kunonga as the leader of the Harare Province of the Anglican Church.

“These skirmishes have become a sort of normal because even the women also fight when they come for China (women only meetings),” said one parishioner interviewed.

In Chitungwiza’s Unit D the situation resembled a disoraganised rally as parishioners from the rival factions fought running battles accusing each other of being elements of the “devil”.

Recent reports have alledged that Anglican parishioners in Marlborough, Harare, had to abandon their Christmas church service on Tuesday when a row erupted between the two factions.

Eyewitnesses were quoted as saying a priest suspected of being an agent of the Central Intelligence Organization beat up a parishioner who was praying for the well-being of Bishop Bakare, and the service was abandoned after police were called in.

However, the outspoken Bishop who is a firm supporter of President Mugabe denies these allegations saying he is victimised for standing firm on Biblical principles on the issue of homosexuality.

“I am doing what I am doing because I have the support of parishioners who do not want to see the church being corrupted by homosexuals. I am anti violence and these allegations are just a mere fabrication,” he said when asked to comment on the allegations.

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