Mugabe Says He Is Praying for Archbishop, by Torby Chimhashu, New Zimbabwe, July 18, 2007

Mugabe Says He Is Praying for Archbishop

By Torby Chimhashu
New Zimbabwe
July 18, 2007

http://www.newzimbabwe.com/pages/roma37.16690.html

Zimbabwe — President Robert Mugabe has cheekily declared that he will pray for Archbishop Pius Ncube who is at the centre of a sex storm involving a married woman and possibly up to ten other women, he said in a televised speech on Wednesday.

Mugabe said he would pray for the Roman Catholic bishop to be be redeemed by God for his "sins".

Ncube has been a thorn on Mugabe's side and is respected worldwide for his stand against human rights abuses in Zimbabwe. Ncube has said he prayed for Mugabe's death and is amiable to a foreign military invasion of the country to oust the 83-year-old leader.

A boisterous Mugabe told Zanu PF supporters who gathered at the burial of the late Brigadier General Fakazi Muleya that the "disgraced" Ncube needs salvation.

"It can't be me to say let's pray for Pius. I suppose when I go to church I will pray for God to save and pardon Pius," Mugabe, who spoke in Shona, told his supporters at the Heroes Acre.

"I was born in church. I am a Catholic myself but I failed to achieve what Pius did (being Archbishop), because God chose something else for me.

ACCUSER: Onesimus Sibanda, the man who says Ncube slept with his wife

"Those who pray for us must pray in good faith. Don't pray for our deaths. Now you are my Archbishop and sleep with married women. Is that a fair game? Anyway, I will leave it here," said Mugabe to thunderous applause from his followers.

The veteran leader spoke after a Bulawayo man, Onesimus Sibanda, filed a $20 billion lawsuit alleging that the cleric bedded his wife over a period of two years.

Sibanda is demanding Z$20 billion (£80 000) via a civil suit filed by his lawyers Monday.

State media has reported that Ncube bonked at least 10 other women during the period he was being trailed by a private investigator.

Ncube's lawyers have vowed to fight the damning allegations which they say are unfounded.

State TV's Newsnet showed clips of Ncube in bed with Sibanda's wife and another unidentified woman.

Ncube has not admitted to breaking his celibacy vows although he told Newsnet: "We all have weaknesses, that's why when we pray, we always ask God for forgiveness."

MASIBANDA: Ncube's alleged lover

The state media went into overdrive over Ncube's alleged steamy sex escapades with a married woman, drawing criticism from the Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa Zimbabwe).

Misa Zimbabwe said the coverage by the Zimbabwe Broadcasting Corporation (ZBC), The Chronicle and The Herald, which all splashed pictures of the bishop and his alleged lovers, was an affront to ethical journalism and the principle of fair and balanced reporting especially as the matter is before the courts and therefore sub judice.

Misa Zimbabwe chairman Loughty Dube said the state media has embarked on a parallel 'legal process' and persecution of the Archbishop, acts which should be condemned as unacceptable from any media that intends to be respected and believed by society.

He said : "This case is yet another clear example of the abuse of the state media by those in power for political gains. It is reminiscent of the murder case of war veteran Cain Nkala in 2002 in which the security agents colluded with the state media to tarnish the alleged perpetrators of the murder well before the court case. Zimbabwe was shocked that after mounting such 'evidence' against the 'perpetrators' the courts found the accused innocent.

"MISA-Zimbabwe calls for the respect of the right to privacy of the parties involved in this matter. MISA-Zimbabwe further notes that the voice of Archbishop Ncube on the social, economic and political issues affecting Zimbabwe remains as strong and true as ever. His alleged personal scandals are between him, the courts and his God. "

Dube said the footage and graphic pictures of the alleged moments of intimacy of parties allegedly involved smacks of an agenda far beyond normal journalistic reporting.

He said MISA-Zimbabwe are reliably informed that questions to Archbishop Ncube started flowing from state media journalists who descended on Bulawayo for the 'kill' well before the court papers were served on him.