The Sunday Mail
| The last 16 years have not been the most peaceful for the Anglican Church in Zimbabwe.Leadership wrangles, court battles and even violence among congregants have been common features – though things have been calm for a couple of years now. |
That tranquility is now threatened by the return of silly season: it’s time to elect a bishop to head the influential Diocese of Harare of the Church of the Province of Central Africa.
Parishioners have been spurred into quickly calling their leadership to order, issuing a warning against priests who are using their sermons to campaign for the post soon to be vacated by Bishop Chad Gandiya.
This writer attended a service in Harare last week where a clergyman converted the pulpit into rally stump, openly campaigning for a colleague to win the election.
Subsequently, the Anglican Parishioners CPCA Facebook page carried the message, “Attention Anglicans: This is not the time to be openly campaigning to be the next Bishop in the Diocese of Harare. Bishop Chad Gandiya is still available, and when his time to leave comes, all processes will be followed.
“Sadly, there are people who are trying to market themselves at different parishes, claiming in their sermons that they are likely to be the next Bishops. This power hunger destroys church unity. It is critical that Anglicans respect their Bishop and avoid divisive messages that promote power struggles.
“There are several possibilities when the term of a bishop comes to an end. One of the options is a situation where the Zimbabwean bishops might request the incumbent bishop to go on beyond the set term limit.”
No comment could be obtained from Bishop Gandiya, who was said to be in Israel.
But according to the church’s canon and constitution, the bishop of any diocese may be elected or chosen from among male communicants of any diocese in the province of any other diocese in communion with the province.
Canon 6 says, “The election of the dishop of any diocese in the province shall be by an elective assembly established as hereinafter provided.
“3 The elective Assembly shall be constituted as follows: (a) The Archbishop or Dean of the province (ex-officio); (b) Three bishops other than the archbishop, three clergy and three laity, chosen after due consultation and consideration of national and geographical factors, by the archbishop from the diocesan panels of electors, other than from the panel of the vacant Diocese;
“(c) Six clergy licensed in the vacant diocese, and six laity from that diocese, all elected as hereinafter provided in clause 4.”
Harare Diocese secretary, Reverend Clifford Dzavo, said the office of head of diocese became vacant when the head bishop resigned or reached the retirement age of 65.
“As it stands Bishop (Gandiya) still has up to five years before he reaches the age of retirement. And added to that there has been no indication of early retirement so it would not make sense if people want to start campaigning now.
“The Bishop of Canterbury can choose to also extend three more years out of his discretion to make it 68. So if you were to count how long Bishop Gandiya will be in office then it would not make sense to campaign now. So those responding by urging campaigners to stop that are right,” he said.
Bishop Gandiya was elected in May 2009 and consecrated in July in the same year. He had succeeded Bishop Sebastian Bakare.
Prior to that, Bishop Nolbert Kunonga held the post after Bishop Jonathan Siyachitema’s retirement in 2000.
Bishop Kunonga beat Timothy Neill, Gandiya and Philemon Mudzvovera in heated election with two-thirds of the vote, and was consecrated and enthroned in 2001.
Bishop Kunonga broke ranks with other church leaders when he openly opposed homosexuality and supported Government’s black empowerment agenda.
That feud degenerated into an all-out tussle for control as rival congregants were barred from church properties, resulting in court battles and skirmishes that ended in a split in 2007.
Bishop Kunonga eventually lost the battle, paving way for Bishop Bakare’s episcopacy.
