By Clayton Masekesa
The beleaguered Anglican Church Diocese of Manicaland has been rocked by yet another sex scandal in which a priest is alleged to have impregnated two women, including a student in Honde Valley.
William Nechironga, a Priest at St Peters’ Mandeya Anglican Church in Honde Valley, who is a blue-eyed boy of controversial Bishop Eric Ruwona, was recently suspended from duty following spirited pressure from concerned congregants.
Rumblings of discontent by church congregants, that included boycotting of church services conducted by Nechironga, forced Ruwona to finally suspend the littered priest.
The letter of suspension dated October 17, which is in possession of Zim Morning Post and signed by Ruwona, reads:
“I write on behalf of the Church Of God to express a concern over allegations of illicit love affairs and impregnating a woman.”
“Preliminary enquiry by the Archdeacon and subsequent meetings with the church leadership show that you are aware of the issue.”
“It is in terms of CANON 24 (5) that in order to avoid a scandal, I hereby suspend you from the exercise of all ministerial duties with immediate effect,” the letter continues.
“During the period of your suspension, you are required to hand over to the Archdeacon and Churchwardens all church property under your custody…”
Nechironga in September is said to have impregnated a church congregant (name withheld), who resides in Chisuko Village.
Nechironga is alleged to have impregnated another congregant (name withheld) who resides in Muterere Village.
A source within the church circles told this publication that Nechironga also allegedly impregnated a high school student at Sagambe High and offered to marry her.
It is alleged that the student was later forced to terminate the pregnancy.
Nechironga is now said to be engaged with the girl, who has just completed her O’levels.
Nechironga has denied having impregnated the former school girl.
Further pressed to justify his involvement with the school girl, Nechironga confirmed that he was now engaged to her.
“Yes, I am now engaged to her,” he said.
Following the suspension, Nechironga fled from St Peter’s Anglican Church with church property, including building materials, among others.
He is now living in Chiware in Rusape.
Information gathered reveals that Nechironga got divorced from his first wife following his adultery allegations.
Contacted for a comment, Nechironga maintained he was innocent adding that the congregants whom he allegedly impregnated of trying to tarnish his image.
“Those women are giving you false information,” he said.
“They are jealous of me and are trying to tarnish my image.”
“I have never impregnated anyone. This is an act jealousy as one of those women you have talked about is forcing me to love her,” Nechironga added.
“On the other one from Muterere, I do not know her. Some people are just cooking up stories,” he concluded.
The ongoing sex scandals in one of the biggest churches in the world are shameful acts that have exposed the dark secrets, deceptions and cover ups by highly controversial Ruwona.
The continuous protection of offending Anglican Priests in the Diocese of Manicaland by Ruwona has knocked the lid off of a culture steeped in deceit, which has kept sex secrets and fostered an atmosphere where several well-organised sexual rings have been developed and flourished within the diocese.
Under Ruwona, the Anglican Church Diocese of Manicaland has provided harrowing houses of horror that is spreading sexual terror in the popular church.
Concerns have been raised against the Zambia-based Archbishop of the Church of the Province of Central Africa (CPCA), Albert Chama and the Episcopal Synod of the Anglican Church for failing to appropriately act on Ruwona and his cabal, giving speculation that he (Chama) is involved in the scandal. Zim Morning Post
