| Nolbert Kunonga | |
|---|---|
| Anglican Bishop Emeritus of Harare | |
| Enthroned | October 24, 1997 |
| Reign ended | January, 2008 |
| Predecessor | Sebastian Bakare |
| Successor | Sebastian Bakare |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 31 December 1950 Southern Rhodesia |
Nolbert Kunonga is the former Anglican Bishop of Harare and Mashonaland in Zimbabwe.
He was criticized within the Anglican Church for his ardent support of Robert Mugabe, the President of Zimbabwe. This was at a time when other religious leaders in the country, notably Roman Catholic Archbishop Pius Ncube, were condemning Robert Mugabe's government for its human rights excesses across Zimbabwe.
He has been in and out of ecclesiastical court since 2005. [1][2] In 2008 he was officially excommunicated from the Anglican Church, stripping him of all recognition as a cleric within the global Anglican Communion. [3] Kunonga has nevertheless continued as the head of a breakaway faction within Zimbabwe, apparently under the protection of President Mugabe, despite the defection of most of his flock and criticism from international church leaders.
A judge ordered in January 2008 that the breakaway Anglican province led by Bishop Kunonga must share the use of church buildings with the Anglican Church of the Province of Central Africa loyal to Bishop Sebastian Bakare.[4]
In August 2011, the country's Chief Justice ruled that all Anglican property in the Harare diocese was under Mr Kunonga's custody.[5]