Pro-Mugabe bishop seizes home over ‘gay split’

Zimbabwe’s senior Anglican bishop has said that an excommunicated church leader close to the president has taken over an orphanage housing 80 children as part of a schism over gay marriage.

Bishop Chad Gandiya, leader of the mainstream Anglican group, said the breakaway leader has also seized mission schools and priests’ homes near Murewa, 50 miles east of the capital, Harare. Worshippers now congregate under the shade of trees beside a road.

Bishop Nolbert Kunonga was excommunicated four years ago accused of inciting violence in support of Robert Mugabe’s party. Kunonga, though, still has the protection of police loyal to Mugabe, and has already taken over the main Harare cathedral and church bank accounts.

Kunonga insists he split from the Anglicans because of its position on gay marriage.

Kunonga told orphanage staff they were to clear out because they “support homosexuality”.

“We refused to listen to Kunonga but he says this place now belongs to him,” said one elderly sister at the mission, who has served at the home for three decades. Some of the children are AIDS orphans and need regular treatment and HIV/AIDS medication.