BISHOP Chad Gandiya, head of the Harare diocese of the Anglican Church of the Province of Central Africa, yesterday said he would soon conduct an audit of all Church properties formerly seized by ex-communicated leader Nolbert Kunonga.
REPORT BY MOSES MATENGA STAFF REPORTER
Addressing a Press conference in Harare yesterday, Gandiya, who on Monday won a Supreme Court appeal to retain properties after a protracted five-year legal battle with his predecessor, said: “The Church has been taking stock of everything to ensure that every item belonging to the Church is accounted for and if there are missing things, reports will be made to relevant authorities.
“In some of our properties, we know that bills have not been paid and we will be engaging local authorities so that the debts will be forwarded to those responsible. We cannot pay debts belonging to illegal occupiers.”
Meanwhile, Gandiya extended an olive branch to Kunonga’s self-appointed priests to join him, but as ordinary church members.
Speaking about church property being rented out for such businesses as tuckshops or colleges, Gandiya said: “Those renting our properties are doing so illegally and we will not allow that to continue. We want to use our buildings for the purposes they were built for and we will ask them to leave because we want to have space for our programmes.”
Gandiya said he will on December 16 hold a thanksgiving ceremony to celebrate his court victory and the return of all seized properties.
