By Getrude Gumede
Zimbabwe Telegraph
June 9, 2009
http://www.zimtelegraph.com/?p=563
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ZIMBABWE-BULAWAYO-The Roman Catholic Church will on 20 June unveil a new Archbishop for the Bulawayo Diocese to replace Pius Ncube who stepped down from the post after allegations of adultery, The Zimbabwe Telegraph reports.
A number of candidates are tipped to fill the position that h as been vacant for almost two years.
In the list of candidates are St. Mary's Bulawayo Cathedral Administrator Martin Schupp, former Chishavasha Seminary Rector Antonio Santos Marizane, Hwange Bishop Albert Jose Serano and the chairman for the Bulawayo Provincial Congregation of Marian Hill missionaries Gibson Dube.
A notice has been given to all churches to clear all programmes for 20 June as they await the Pope's representative in Zimbabwe Apostle Muncio, his grace George Kocherry to arrive in Bulawayo and announce the appointment.
"All denominations have been instructed to clear all programmes for the said date which we suspect is the day set to appoint a new arch bishop," said a source within the church.
In what was described as an orchestrated attempt to embarrass Pius Ncube a long time critic of Zimbabwean PresidentRobert Mugabe, in July 2007 Ncube was in his office at St. Mary's Cathedral in Bulawayo when court officials accompanied by a state television crew delivered documents alleging he was involved in a two-year affair with a secretary whose husband was demanding damages in a civil suit.
State media reported that the woman, identified as Rosemary Sibanda, "admitted the affair" to the state broadcasting company.
The reports said the woman's husband, Onesimus Sibanda, was demanding $160,000 in damages.
In September that year Ncube stepped down, as archbishop of the Bulawayo Dioces and his position has been vacant till now.
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