Mugabe Takes a Jibe at Bishop Pius Ncube, ZimDaily, July 18, 2007

Mugabe Takes a Jibe at Bishop Pius Ncube

ZimDaily
July 18, 2007

http://zimdaily.com/news/117/ARTICLE/1877/2007-07-18.html

Harare – President Robert Mugabe took a jibe at the Bulawayo Catholic Archbishop Pius Ncube today, slamming him for snatching another man's wife and engaging in illicit and unholy behaviour.

Mugabe, who was speaking at the burial of the late Brigadier General Fakazi Muleya at the National Heroes Acre midday, seemed to celebrate the damaging scandal involving Archbishop Ncube and a married woman that many here see as a creation of Mugabe secret service, the Central Intelligence Organisation.

Mugabe, who was speaking mainly in his vernacular zezuru, said it was despicable that Ncube, who took a vow of celibacy, had thrown his promise out of the window and snatched another man's wife.

Bishop Pius Ncube saying goodbye to Rosemary Sibanda after an 'unholy' act

Ncube, who has been paraded on national television and on the front page of State dailies here, denies the allegations saying they are aimed at assassinating his character for his outspokenness against Mugabe's misrule.

The husband of the woman that Ncube allegedly had an extra-marital affair with is suing the Catholic prelate in the Bulawayo High Court for a mouthwatering Z$20 billion.Mugabe said he was a Catholic but he did not take a vow of celibacy because he chose to marry.

"Zvekutorerana vakadzi ungava mutambo wakanaka here iwowo? (There is nothing glorious about snatching another man's wife)," Mugabe said to a thunderous applause. Revealing his beef with Ncube, Mugabe insinuated that the scandal was probably God's way of hitting back at Ncube for wishing him dead.

Ncube recently said he was praying that Mugabe dies so that Zimbabweans can be saved from further hardships and the veteran leader's dictatorship.

"Zvekunamatira kuti vamwe vafe, Mwari ndewedu tose (You cant pray for the death of another man. God is the creator of all man)," said Mugabe. "Ndakataura musi uno kuti ini ndinongovawo munhu. Ndakazvarirwa muchechi asi handina kupikira. Mwari ndinomuziva ndiri muRoma. Ndaigona kuita zvinoita Pius asi ndakada kuchata. Pius akati handidi kuchata. Zvino zvauri bishop, wakatora mhiko, aah! Ndirikuisiira ipapo.

(I am just an ordinary person. I was born in church but I did not take the vow of celibacy. I honour God I am a Catholic. I could have become a bishop like Pius but I chose to get married. It is disgraceful for a bishop to engage in such an immoral act. I rest my case)," said Mugabe.

Mugabe did not have any kind words for opposition leader Morgan Tsvangirai who he likened to his grandfather his dog 'Sekahurema' which he said used to run away each time it came face-to-face with prey during a hunt.

"VanaSekahurema tinavo vakatiza chimurenga(In our midst we have deserters of the liberation struggle)," said Mugabe. "Nhasi havasi nesu. Vakatarisa shure. Vanotarisaka kunyika dzekumavirira vanaTsvangirai. Nanhasi ndiko kwavari kumanyira ikoko. (They are not here today. They backslid. They rush to their handlers in the West.)" In a chilling outburst, Mugabe warned ominously that the dog did not live long.

"Hachina kuzorarama chakafuma chakafa mwedzi mishomashoma yakatevera. (The dog did not live long as it died in the few ensuing months)," said Mugabe.

The veteran leader, who addressed arguably the smallest crowd at the national shrine since Independence in 1980, said government was forced to intervene and restore sanity on the prices front. He alleged that businesses were conspiring with Western governments to hike prices in a move aimed at fomenting public anger against his regime.

"Saka those in business if they want to make profits they should address the issue of treating their customers well," said Mugabe. "There should be affordable prices… We intervene as government to ensure there is fair treatment of majority of people."

The price blitz, where retailers have been forced to slash prices of goods and commodities by 50 percent without even looking at the cost of producing them, has resulted in empty shelves. Mugabe said his government would be unrelenting. In a classical case of amnesia, Mugabe still alleged that former British Prime Minister Tony Blair was leading efforts to topple his regime. Blair is no longer British

Premier. He has since been replaced by Gordon Brown.