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ration this weekend near Marondera as an ordinary worshipper and not as a Bishop, rival faction leader Bishop Nolbert Kunonga said yesterday.

Addressing journalists yesterday, Bishop Kunonga said Zimbabwean courts had determined him as the legitimate leader of the Church and this meant the Bernard Mzeki shrine remained in the custody of his Church.
The throne of the Bishop, said Bishop Kunonga, was held by one person and anyone who intended to attend the commemoration should be prepared to submit himself to his leadership.

“There is only one sun at a time. We have only one throne in the Cathedral, which is my throne. There can’t be many of them, so the Bishop is one, myself,” he said.
“We are inviting everyone to come including CPCA. What we don’t want is Gandiya to come as a Bishop or Julias Makoni to come as Bishop of Manicaland because we recognise Bishop Jakazi. They can’t come separately because that is our property.”

Bishop Kunonga has been embroiled in a leadership wrangle with Bishop Gandiya who now leads the Central Province of Africa, Harare Diocese after the former left the diocese alleging that it was dabbling in homosexuality.

He has since formed the Province of Zimbabwe Church and is now its Arch-Bishop after he ordained some Bishops to head Dioceses created in the Province.
In his address yesterday at the Cathedral, Bishop Kunonga said every worshipper from all churches was free to attend the commemoration despite of what church he belonged to or political persuasion.

He dismissed claims that the police were partisan in applying the law, saying the law enforcement agents were merely complying with the courts that ruled in his favour, rendering the Gandiya faction with no legitimate claim to the Church property.

“They are doing it without favour. If Gandiya had won the case, the police would be working with him to enforce the judgment,” he said.z
The clergy said his Church abhorred homosexuality and did not agree with English Churches that condoned it, which was the source of their difference with the Gandiya camp.

“We are against the influence of England as long as they support the doctrine of homosexuality,” he said.
He, however, said he was prepared to reconcile with the Gandiya camp but had spurned past efforts as they felt it was a sign of weakness.

“Reconciliation has been asked many times but they have said they were comfortable to remain outside the church.
“They think reconciliation is a sign of weakness yet it is the cornerstone of the Church to be able to live together as one family,” he said.

The clergyman said he would continue to speak against anything that was detrimental to the country, such as homosexuality and sanctions.