Archbishop Ncube 'not alone'
2007-07-25 19:27
Special Report
A classical music presenter for the BBC has been arrested and is in custody in Zimbabwe.
Bulawayo - Hundreds of residents in Zimbabwe's second city thronged the cathedral on Wednesday for prayers in support of outspoken Roman Catholic Archbishop Pius Ncube who is being sued for alleged adultery.
"The purpose of the prayer was mobilising and giving moral, spiritual, mental and physical support to Archbishop Ncube," said Effie Ncube, no relation to the cleric.
Effie Ncube is chairperson of The Pius Ncube Solidarity Coalition, a clutch of non-governmental organisations, church groups and political parties.
"We also want to ensure he gets a fair hearing consistent with international human rights and judicial standards as well as countering state propaganda regarding the lawsuit," he added after attending the prayer service.
Last week state media published pictures they claimed depicted the Bulawayo archbishop, a fearless critic of President Robert Mugabe, having sex with a married woman in his bedroom.
'Brazen display of pornography'
They claimed the pictures were taken secretly with cameras set up by a private investigator hired by the woman's husband to secure evidence of the alleged adultery. The husband is now suing Ncube for $160 000.
Mugabe last Thursday rebuked the cleric for "snatching other people's women".
Effie Ncube said that Zimbabweans had "seen through the machinations of the state and are standing behind the archbishop".
"This state-driven scandal cannot be allowed to deprive Zimbabwe as a nation of its strongest and most consistent voice," he added.
"Archbishop Ncube has spoken fearlessly on behalf of us all, and whatever the truth or falsity of these allegations, we will not allow this great activist to be silenced."
Among high-profile people at the lunch-time prayer meeting were opposition Movement for Democratic Change (MDC) vice-president Thokozani Khupe, lawmaker David Coltart and Paul Siwela, leader of Zapu 2000, a minor opposition party.
Effie Ncube said the coalition was concerned about the manner in which state media covered the archbishop's case from the time he was served with a summons to court to answer the adultery lawsuit.
He said the coalition had also drawn up a petition to protest "the brazen display of pornography by the public media" and said more than 1 000 people had signed the document the group intends to present to parliament and various government departments.
- AFP