[Daily Nation (Kenya)] Zim-bob-wean police today stopped a retreat for Anglican Church clergymen outside Harare citing the country's tough security laws.The 80 clergymen belong to the mainstream of the Anglican church, which split into two after a bishop linked to President Bob
MuggsyMugabe
Octogenarian President-for-Life of Zim-bob-we who turned the former Breadbasket of Africa into the African Basket Case...
's Zanu PF party was excommunicated.
In a statement, the Harare diocese of the Anglican Church of Central Africa (CPCA) said the clergymen were holding their annual retreat at a private school outside the town of Marondera about 65 kilometres from Harare.
"The police claimed the Anglicans had not sought police clearance to gather for prayer as required in terms of the Public Order and Security Act," the church said.
The church accused the police of siding with the excommunicated Bishop Nolbert Kunonga who has been pushing his rivals out of Anglican premises across the country.
The clergymen had reportedly refused to leave the school on Monday after police told them that their retreat was illegal.
They dared the police to remove them by force because they had not broken any law.
"This morning, Marondera police arrived at Peterhouse High School and ordered all clergymen to vacate the school premises," the church said.
Harare Diocese leader Bishop Chad Gandiya accused the police of bias and said the actions marked a continuation of persecution against his followers.
"This is calculated harassment by some of the coppers," he said. "We deplore this action and call upon higher authorities to intervene.'