Catholic bishop in acerbic attack on Mnangagwa

CONTROVERSIAL Catholic Diocese of Chinhoyi cleric, Bishop Raymond Mpandasekwa, has once again taken aim at President Emmerson Mnangagwa and his administration's alleged misrule characterised by violence, injustice and bloodshed.

The man-of-the-cloth has in previous years courted the ire of State security agents over his hard stance against corrupt, evil and self-serving leadership.

In an audio recording of his recent Sunday sermon posted on Facebook, Mpandasekwa, among other ills, laments wanton killing of Mnangagwa's opponents and attempts to militarise the medical profession following years of discontent by doctors and nurses demanding improved working conditions.

Without mentioning Mnangagwa by name, the clergyman accuses government on clamping down on dissent, thereby creating a "fiefdom of a selected few".

"They bring bloodshed, they kill, instead of freedom they bring imprisonment to those who oppose them, those who think differently, to those who disagree with their policies," said Mpandasekwa.

"The only thing they know is violence. These people bring bloodshed, that lacking in integrity, they are dishonest.

"All they bring is nothing but distress … what greater distress was brought upon us when the plight of our doctors was, a few days ago, responded to by a terrible proposition to turn our civilian doctors into soldiers, who will from then on go by instruction."

In apparent reference to Zanu-PF which he dubbed the "freedom party", the cleric said the outfit was now tormenting professionals and civilians alike.

"Indeed, the freedom party refuses to give freedom of choice by refusing to listen to the cries of the distressed doctors.

"Instead, they propose more distress. We are now heading to become a State with no doctors as this unconstitutional proposition is a destruction of the medical practice as we know it.

"Through our policies, our situation will not only get worse, the poor are always the victims."

Mpandasekwa added that the church was labelled traitor and persecuted for challenging bad leadership.

"When bishops question the capacity and emotional stability of the government, we are accused of insulting the Office of the President.

"The governed are being insulted everyday by the same people, through their careless utterances and disregard for the Constitution."

He further highlights the dire security threats to dissenting voices.

"Living for justice is dangerous, for we live in a country that refuses to deliver justice. Our children are not going to school, except a few lucky ones.

"Our sick are not being treated in our hospitals, and yet our leadership see their policies as right and good, what blindness is this?

"We live, dear friends, in a country now considered a fiefdom of the selected few. They decide the way and noone else. They are the police, the army and the judiciary, they are everything. To silence everyone, they instil fear in the governed," the bishop said.