Nolbert Kunonga

Nolbert Kunonga
Anglican Bishop Emeritus of Harare
Enthroned	October 24, 1997
Reign ended	January, 2008
Predecessor	Sebastian Bakare
Successor	Sebastian Bakare
Personal details
Born	31 December 1950 (1950-12-31) (age 60) Southern Rhodesia

Nolbert Kunonga is the former Anglican Bishop of Harare and Mashonaland in Zimbabwe.

He was criticized within the Anglican Church for his ardent support of Robert Mugabe, the President of Zimbabwe. This was at a time when other religious leaders in the country, notably Roman Catholic Archbishop Pius Ncube, were condemning Robert Mugabe's government for its human rights excesses across Zimbabwe.

He has been in and out of ecclesiastical court since 2005. ^[1][2] In 2008 he was officially excommunicated from the Anglican Church, stripping him of all recognition as a cleric within the global Anglican Communion. ^[3] Kunonga has nevertheless continued as the head of a breakaway faction within Zimbabwe, apparently under the protection of President Mugabe, despite the defection of most of his flock and criticism from international church leaders.

A judge ordered in January 2008 that the breakaway Anglican province led by Bishop Kunonga must share the use of church buildings with the Anglican Church of the Province of Central Africa loyal to Bishop Sebastian Bakare.^[4]

In August 2011, the country's Chief Justice ruled that all Anglican property in the Harare diocese was under Mr Kunonga's custody.^[5]

References

1. ^ Dugger, Celia (2008-05-16). "Zimbabwe’s Rulers Unleash Police on Anglicans". New York Times. http://www.nytimes.com/2008/05/16/world/africa/16zimbabwe.html. Retrieved 2008-05-16. 
2. ^ Thornycroft, Peta (2005-08-26). "Trial of Harare bishop collapses in farce". The Daily Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/africaandindianocean/zimbabwe/1497017/Trial-of-Harare-bishop-collapses-in-farce.html. Retrieved 2008-05-16. 
3. ^ Davies, Matthew. "Kunonga excommunicated as persecution of Anglicans continues – Episcopal Life (US) – 19 May 08". Diocese of Harare. http://dioceseofhararecpca.wordpress.com/2008/06/12/kunonga-excommunicated-as-persecution-of-anglicans-continues-episcopal-life-us-19-may-08/. Retrieved 17 October 2011. 
4. ^ Ashworth, Pat. "Kunonga disrupts Bakare's service in Harare Cathedral". Church Times. http://www.churchtimes.co.uk/content.asp?id=50412. Retrieved 14 December 2010. 
5. ^ "Archbishop of Canterbury 'to meet' Robert Mugabe in Zimbabwe". The Telegraph. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/religion/8748816/Archbishop-of-Canterbury-to-meet-Robert-Mugabe-in-Zimbabwe.html. Retrieved 8 September 2011. 

Persondata
Name	Kunonga, Nolbert
Alternative names
Short description
Date of birth	1950-12-31
Place of birth	Southern Rhodesia
Date of death
Place of death