The Anglican Church of the Province of Central Africa (CPCA) is facing challenges that include a huge debt that was left behind by excommunicated Bishop Nolbert Kunonga.

In an interview with RelZim, Bishop Chad Gandiya, who is now in charge of Harare Province diocese, said during the reign of Kunonga since 2007, the church was stripped of land and vehicles and is now struggling to pay a huge debt.

“Pieces of land were sold to individuals. For example in Chitungwiza we have the St Mary’s Mission. As far as we are concerned these pieces were sold illegally because the matter had not been resolved,” Gandiya said.

He added: “We have various vehicles and church equipment that are missing. We have reported this to our lawyers and there are taking it up. And at one level you have that kind of mopping to do. Unfortunately it is costly but as a bishop I owe it to the people to get to the bottom of all this because the investment money was not an individual investment. It was public money and we owe it to the diocese to explain to them what happened.

“A number of churches found out that debts were accrued during those five years. When we moved back at this building, they were owing $89 000 to the Harare City council, Zesa, $10 000 and Telone $5000,” he said.

Gandiya said it is unfortunate that creditors are now demanding money from the CPCA despite the fact that the debt was accumulated by Kunonga.

“Our wish is that they should have demanded this way back from the people who were using the building. We are struggling to pay those debts. We are paying them but we are struggling. Because we have the ongoing work of the diocese and when you add these debts it is just crippling.

“I am grateful to the members of the diocese of Harare for their sacrificial giving. They are the ones who have kept us going. When we moved back we were literally starting from scratch. We had nothing in terms of money in the bank. These are some of the challenges that we face,” he said

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