Anglican Bishopof Harare Chad Gandiya, his wife Faith (left) and Victoria Chitepo (centre). (Photo: New Zimbabwe)
The Church of the Province of Central Africa (CPCA) Harare Diocese led by Bishop Chad Gandiya says there are surprises in the ongoing property audit.
Gandiya said recovery is undergoing.
The church has so far recovered at least 90% of the properties that had been seized by excommunicated Bishop Nolbert Kunonga since 2007.
The property recovery exercise came early this year after High Court Judge President Justice George Chiweshe upheld a ruling by Supreme Court judge Deputy Chief Justice Luke Malaba that stripped Kunonga of custody of the disputed church properties.
The Church has 72 properties, among them schools, commercial and church buildings.
“Its work in progress, and actually there are surprises. Within a week or two you will hear part of the outcome of that piece of work .We are not done yet with the courts .We have to recover all that is owed to the church,” Bishop Gandiya told RelZim at the weekend in Harare.
When the High Court granted Bishop Gandiya permission to repossess church properties he held a cleansing ceremony in most of the churches.
That was after he had claimed that some of the properties where being used as brothels by Kunonga.
Commenting on their freedom of worship rights which have been infringed over the past five years Bishop Gandiya said they are now worshiping freely.
Gandiya’s followers had resorted to worshipping under trees after the Police working on orders given to them by government which was siding with Kunonga had chased them from their church buildings throughout the country
“Since the High court granted us permission to repossess what belongs to the church we are now worshiping freely, and we cannot complain about anything anymore,” Bishop Gandiya said.
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