HARARE – Disgraced ex-communicated clergyman Nolbert Kunonga on Wednesday threatened to shoot journalists for covering his ongoing shenanigans, as five of his “thugs” were arrested late Thursday.
This came as he packed his belongings — leaving the Anglican Church Cathedral — a bitter man. Shaking with rage, the once larger-than-life priest confronted journalists in typical gangster fashion, ranting and raving, and spitting venom.
The Messenger of Court descended on his former bastion of power at the Anglican Cathedral, a move that saw him flying into a rage. And as Kunonga was hounded by journalists and Church of the Province of Central Africa (CPCA) members he went mad.
Dressed in a pin-striped blue suit and a gun holstered to his hip, the burly Kunonga, who was sweating profusely, charged menacingly towards reporters, who fled in different directions. “You think I am playing with you, I can shoot you,” shouted the disgraced churchman as he fumbled for his gun.
But that was not all.
Kunonga, who has been imperious for five years and boisterous in the media, left the Cathedral with his tail neatly tucked firmly between his legs. He later sought refuge at his lawyer, Jonathan Samukange — an aspiring Zanu PF legislator.
Andrew Chakanyuka, the Messenger of Court, however, gave the Zanu PF churchman a torrid time as he chased after him. “Mr Kunonga can we please have keys for three cars that are in your possession,” asked Chakanyuka who blocked Kunonga’s path.
Kunonga was ordered by the Supreme Court to surrender a Mazda 626 registration number 646-832C, a Toyota Fortuner, Toyota Hilux single cab and to deliver all CPCA assets of whatever nature in his possession.
But on Wednesday, he claimed he did not have the properties, in blatant contempt of the court order. “We do not have cars with us, I did not bring a car today,” said Kunonga, whose anger was boiling over as he frothed on the mouth.
The once-mighty Kunonga was reduced to a pedestrian as he hit the road towards his lawyer’s offices with journalists breathing on his neck. He later returned in the afternoon and invaded the parishioners saying he was in charge. He described the judgment as “fake”.
Earlier on Tuesday, he had filed an urgent chamber application at the High Court seeking to stop the eviction. But Judge President George Chiweshe deferred the case to next Tuesday.
Notwithstanding the urgent chamber application, locksmiths had a busy day as they changed locks at the Cathedral after Kunonga fled “his base” after he was forced to obey a Supreme Court ruling that he should leave the CPCA properties.
But even in defeat, Kunonga provided some comic excerpts as he initially told the CPCA members who were brimming with confidence to leave his offices, which he said cannot be turned into “dens of homosexuals.”
Judging from the sorry state of the Cathedral, Anglicans have a mountain of work as the once pristine Cathedral has been turned into a business empire where kindergarten children were swashed in the basement.
Some of the rooms have been turned into offices while other rooms have been turned into canteens. Floors were potholed and the walls are grimy with dirt, while a strong smell pervades the murky corridors which desperately need painting. Daily News