The Primate of Southern Africa today called for President of Zimbabwe Robert Mugabe to end police persecution of the church there after more than 80 clergy were ordered to leave a retreat centre.
The Most Revd Dr. Thabo Makgoba, the Anglican Archbishop of Cape Town and Primate of the Anglican Church of Southern Africa issued a statement after police in Zimbabwe stopped an retreat of 80 clergy the school 50 miles (80 kilometers) east of the capital over claims that their prayer gathering was not given police clearance under sweeping security laws.
He said: “I deplore the shocking action of the Zimbabwean police on Tuesday in preventing the clergy of the Diocese of Harare from holding their annual prayer retreat at Peterhouse School. I call on President Mugabe to ensure that the religious freedom of all Zimbabweans, and especially persecuted Anglicans, is respected, and to instruct the police to allow the churches freedom of assembly and worship.
“We affirm Bishop Chad Gandiya, his clergy and people at this time. As they share in the sufferings of Christ, may they gain strength from the experience and never give in to a cynical and sinister government.
“The forthcoming season of Epiphany speaks of our hope that the incarnate Christ breaks all boundaries, and that He will ultimately break the power of President Mugabe and those of his supporters who carry out these deeds, and bring freedom to Zimbabwe.
“I also call on our ecumenical friends and our partners in the Anglican Communion to ask their governments to put pressure on Zimbabwe to end this persecution.”
Archbishop Makgoba accompanied the Archbishops of Canterbury, Central Africa, and Tanzania when they met with Mr Mugabe in October last year. During the meeting they presented the Zimbabwean President with a a dossier compiled by the bishops in Zimbabwe which gave a full account of the abuses to which Anglicans had been subject. They asked then that the President use his powers as Head of State to put an end to all unacceptable and illegal behaviour.
Although it seemed that persecution of Anglicans in Zimbabwe had lessened after the meeting with the President, recent times have seen an upsurge in harassment faced by clergy in the country.