Pius Ncube
Encyclopedia
His Grace the Most Reverend Dr. Pius Alick Mvundla Ncube (born December 31, 1946) served as the Roman Catholic Archbishop
of Bulawayo
, Zimbabwe
, until he resigned on September 11, 2007. Widely known for his human rights
advocacy, Ncube is an outspoken critic of President Robert Mugabe
.
Archbishop Ncube received a Human Rights Award from Human Rights First
on October 23, 2003 for speaking out against torture
and confronting the Mugabe government for starving
certain regions of Zimbabwe for political reasons. He has received many death threats for his activities. He is a member of Zimbabwe's minority Ndebele
ethnic group.
Previous elections in Zimbabwe have been plagued with violence and corruption. Believing that the 2005 Zimbabwe parliamentary elections
would be fixed, Ncube called for a "popular mass uprising" in the style of the Orange Revolution
or Tulip Revolution
to remove Mugabe from power. "I hope people get so disillusioned that they really organise against this government and kick him out by non-violent popular mass uprising," Ncube said.
In response, Mugabe has called Ncube a half-wit and a liar. After the March 2005 elections, Ncube repeated his call for a peaceful rebellion. Referring to Mugabe, he said "I am praying that he goes home gently; at 84, he has lived a full life."
In March 2005 Information Minister Nathan Shamuyarira
referred to Ncube as a "mad, inveterate liar. He has been lying for the past two years. He, however, fits into the scheme of the British and Americans, who are calling for regime change and are feeding him with these wild ideas. Archbishop Ncube's open call for an unconstitutional uprising shows he is an instrument of the West's illegal regime change agenda."
Ncube was reported to have been involved with Rosemary Sibanda, estranged wife of Onesimus Sibanda, a Bulawayo resident. It has been reported by some sources that Mrs. Sibanda herself admitted that she had an affair with the Archbishop.
It has been reported by other sources that the whole event was a government honey trap from the beginning which is now falling apart.". The lack of good quality reporting makes this issue unlikely to be resolved.
In the few days before September 11, 2007, images purporting to be of Ncube with Rosemary Sibanda in his bedroom were published in the Zimbabwean press. It was also reported in The Guardian that Zimbabwean TV had been showing a video of a man and woman, allegedly Ncube and Sibanda, repeatedly over a number of days. These events led to Ncube's decision to resign from his post.
On September 11, 2007, it was announced that Pope Benedict XVI
had accepted the resignation of Archbishop Pius Alick Ncube from the pastoral government of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bulawayo, in accordance with canon 401, section 2, of the Code of Canon Law, which states: "A diocesan bishop who has become less able to fulfill his office because of ill health or some other grave cause is earnestly requested to present his resignation from office." This resignation followed the publication of pictures of Ncube with Mrs. Rosemary Sibanda being published in the Zimbabwean press and elsewhere.
In a press statement Ncube said that he had made the decision to resign because of the "vicious attack not just on myself, but by proxy on the Catholic Church in Zimbabwe". he also mentioned that this was meant to "spare my fellow Bishops and the body of the Church any further attacks". He however stressed that he would remain a "Catholic Bishop in Zimbabwe", and would continue to "speak out on the issues that sadly become more acute by the day" in Zimbabwe. Archbishop Ncube was also quoted as saying: "I have not been silenced by the crude machinations of a wicked regime."
-brokered efforts to end the crisis in Zimbabwe should be given a chance to work.
In March 2007, the cleric said he was ready to face bullets in anti-government protests to help bring democratic change in the southern African nation, which is mired in a deep economic and political crisis.
Archbishop
An archbishop is a bishop of higher rank, but not of higher sacramental order above that of the three orders of deacon, priest , and bishop...
of Bulawayo
Bulawayo
Bulawayo is the second largest city in Zimbabwe after the capital Harare, with an estimated population in 2010 of 2,000,000. It is located in Matabeleland, 439 km southwest of Harare, and is now treated as a separate provincial area from Matabeleland...
, Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
, until he resigned on September 11, 2007. Widely known for his human rights
Human rights
Human rights are "commonly understood as inalienable fundamental rights to which a person is inherently entitled simply because she or he is a human being." Human rights are thus conceived as universal and egalitarian . These rights may exist as natural rights or as legal rights, in both national...
advocacy, Ncube is an outspoken critic of President Robert Mugabe
Robert Mugabe
Robert Gabriel Mugabe is the President of Zimbabwe. As one of the leaders of the liberation movement against white-minority rule, he was elected into power in 1980...
.
Archbishop Ncube received a Human Rights Award from Human Rights First
Human Rights First
Human Rights First is a nonprofit, nonpartisan human rights organization based in New York City and Washington, D.C....
on October 23, 2003 for speaking out against torture
Torture
Torture is the act of inflicting severe pain as a means of punishment, revenge, forcing information or a confession, or simply as an act of cruelty. Throughout history, torture has often been used as a method of political re-education, interrogation, punishment, and coercion...
and confronting the Mugabe government for starving
Starvation
Starvation is a severe deficiency in caloric energy, nutrient and vitamin intake. It is the most extreme form of malnutrition. In humans, prolonged starvation can cause permanent organ damage and eventually, death...
certain regions of Zimbabwe for political reasons. He has received many death threats for his activities. He is a member of Zimbabwe's minority Ndebele
Ndebele people (Zimbabwe)
The Ndebele are a branch of the Zulus who split from King Shaka in the early 1820s under the leadership of Mzilikazi, a former general in Shaka's army....
ethnic group.
Previous elections in Zimbabwe have been plagued with violence and corruption. Believing that the 2005 Zimbabwe parliamentary elections
Zimbabwe parliamentary elections, 2005
A parliamentary election was held in Zimbabwe on March 31, 2005 to elect members to the Zimbabwe House of Assembly. All of the 120 elected seats in the 150-seat House of Assembly were up for election. A parliamentary election was held in Zimbabwe on March 31, 2005 to elect members to the Zimbabwe...
would be fixed, Ncube called for a "popular mass uprising" in the style of the Orange Revolution
Orange Revolution
The Orange Revolution was a series of protests and political events that took place in Ukraine from late November 2004 to January 2005, in the immediate aftermath of the run-off vote of the 2004 Ukrainian presidential election which was claimed to be marred by massive corruption, voter...
or Tulip Revolution
Tulip Revolution
The Tulip Revolution or First Kyrgyz Revolution refers to the overthrow of President Askar Akayev and his government in the Central Asian republic of Kyrgyzstan after the parliamentary elections of February 27 and of March 13, 2005...
to remove Mugabe from power. "I hope people get so disillusioned that they really organise against this government and kick him out by non-violent popular mass uprising," Ncube said.
In response, Mugabe has called Ncube a half-wit and a liar. After the March 2005 elections, Ncube repeated his call for a peaceful rebellion. Referring to Mugabe, he said "I am praying that he goes home gently; at 84, he has lived a full life."
In March 2005 Information Minister Nathan Shamuyarira
Nathan Shamuyarira
Nathan Shamuyarira was a Zimbabwean nationalist who at different times fought on behalf of and helped lead FROLIZI, ZANU, and ZAPU. He later served as the Information Minister of Zimbabwe and as the Information Secretary of ZANU PF. He is writing President Robert Mugabe's biography.On 19 October...
referred to Ncube as a "mad, inveterate liar. He has been lying for the past two years. He, however, fits into the scheme of the British and Americans, who are calling for regime change and are feeding him with these wild ideas. Archbishop Ncube's open call for an unconstitutional uprising shows he is an instrument of the West's illegal regime change agenda."
Alleged adultery
On July 16, 2007 a ZWD 20 billion adultery lawsuit (USD 1.3 million at the official rate and USD 154,000 on the black market) was filed against him. Ncube and his lawyers have both stated that the allegations are politically motivated, his lawyers described them as "some kind of orchestrated attempt to embarrass the archbishop."Ncube was reported to have been involved with Rosemary Sibanda, estranged wife of Onesimus Sibanda, a Bulawayo resident. It has been reported by some sources that Mrs. Sibanda herself admitted that she had an affair with the Archbishop.
It has been reported by other sources that the whole event was a government honey trap from the beginning which is now falling apart.". The lack of good quality reporting makes this issue unlikely to be resolved.
In the few days before September 11, 2007, images purporting to be of Ncube with Rosemary Sibanda in his bedroom were published in the Zimbabwean press. It was also reported in The Guardian that Zimbabwean TV had been showing a video of a man and woman, allegedly Ncube and Sibanda, repeatedly over a number of days. These events led to Ncube's decision to resign from his post.
On September 11, 2007, it was announced that Pope Benedict XVI
Pope Benedict XVI
Benedict XVI is the 265th and current Pope, by virtue of his office of Bishop of Rome, the Sovereign of the Vatican City State and the leader of the Catholic Church as well as the other 22 sui iuris Eastern Catholic Churches in full communion with the Holy See...
had accepted the resignation of Archbishop Pius Alick Ncube from the pastoral government of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Bulawayo, in accordance with canon 401, section 2, of the Code of Canon Law, which states: "A diocesan bishop who has become less able to fulfill his office because of ill health or some other grave cause is earnestly requested to present his resignation from office." This resignation followed the publication of pictures of Ncube with Mrs. Rosemary Sibanda being published in the Zimbabwean press and elsewhere.
In a press statement Ncube said that he had made the decision to resign because of the "vicious attack not just on myself, but by proxy on the Catholic Church in Zimbabwe". he also mentioned that this was meant to "spare my fellow Bishops and the body of the Church any further attacks". He however stressed that he would remain a "Catholic Bishop in Zimbabwe", and would continue to "speak out on the issues that sadly become more acute by the day" in Zimbabwe. Archbishop Ncube was also quoted as saying: "I have not been silenced by the crude machinations of a wicked regime."
Ncube's alleged mistress dies
On Friday, May 2, 2008, Rosemary Sibanda, the woman alleged to have had a sexual relationship with Archbishop Ncube died at Bulawayo's Mpilo Hospital, three days after she was admitted suffering from pneumonia.Call for British invasion
Ncube mentioned that Britain would be justified in invading its former colony to rid it of Mugabe July 1, 2007. Ncube said Zimbabweans themselves should overthrow the government, but they are too scared. Ncube later distanced himself from the report, saying that the Thabo MbekiThabo Mbeki
Thabo Mvuyelwa Mbeki is a South African politician who served two terms as the second post-apartheid President of South Africa from 14 June 1999 to 24 September 2008. He is also the brother of Moeletsi Mbeki...
-brokered efforts to end the crisis in Zimbabwe should be given a chance to work.
In March 2007, the cleric said he was ready to face bullets in anti-government protests to help bring democratic change in the southern African nation, which is mired in a deep economic and political crisis.