Mugabe accuse Catholic Bishops of being liars and puppets

Robert Mugabe, a Catholic, was addressing members of the Zion Christian Church (ZCC) at their Mbungo headquarters here. He said he had lost confidence from his own bishops. He lashed out at Catholic Bishops, accusing them of being liars and puppets of the West.

"I am confused by my own Catholic bishops, they must learn from you (ZCC leaders). Often Catholic bishops expose that they are not their own men; they are mere puppets of Western Countries. I grew up in a Catholic Church but now I am totally frustrated by how these so called men of God who lie. All Catholic bishops are liars, they demonise my party every day," fumed Mugabe.

Although Mugabe could not divulge why he is not prepared to walk out of the Catholic church, he said there was nothing true being preached by the priest from Catholic church.

"I observed how they operate and my conclusion is that almost three quarters of them who are whites feed people with lies," added Mugabe.

President Mugabe, however, pleaded with his youth in Bikita not to attack Movement for Democratic Change (MDC-T) supporters in the area, saying he had since learnt that violence scared away supporters from his Zanu (PF) party.

"Please don't beat people from opposition parties here; there is nothing which we can get from being violent. We grow and live in the same area so there is no point why we should beat our neighbours for holding a different political thinking. Those whom we beat will never support us so the best strategy to lure our opponents is to love them and live with them in peace. Please I beg you to live peacefully with others," Mugabe said.

ZCC bishop Nehemia Mutendi thanked Mugabe for officially opening their church saying he was going to mobilise his followers to pray for the uplifting of sanctions against Mugabe and his allies.

"My church started the year when President Mugabe was born. I am sure, by finishing this church building, that will help us to pray for the uplifting of the targeted sanctions against our President and other top government officials," said Mutendi.

Mugabe recently launched an anti-sanctions petition which is expected to garner about three million signatures to force the Western countries and the European Union to reverse targeted sanctions, which Mugabe and his party blame for many Zimbabwe economic woes.