27 July 2007
CIVIC society organisations and human rights groups in Bulawayo this week joined hands with political parties to launch a coalition that will mobilise resources for Archbishop Pius Ncube who has been sued for adultery.
The civic groups convened a meeting in Bulawayo on Monday and committed themselves to defending and standing in solidarity with the archbishop until the conclusion of his $20 billion adultery case in the courts.
On Tuesday over 200 people who included leaders of 30 civic organisations thronged the City Hall in Bulawayo to launch the Archbishop Pius Ncube Solidarity Coalition.
The launch of the solidarity coalition comes barely days after South Africa-based churches launched similar support for Ncube.
The coalition brings together organisations such as the National Constitutional Assembly, the factions of the MDC, Zapu, Bulawayo Agenda, Christian Alliance, Churches in Bulawayo and Zimbabwe Liberators Peace Initiative.
Civic society leaders addressed a press conference and took turns to give solidarity messages to Ncube.
Zapu leader Paul Siwela told journalists that an individual's right should not be left to a kangaroo circuit of journalists to decide whether he goes to jail or does not.
"An individual's right should be respected and should not be left to a kangaroo circuit of journalists to decide who goes to jail and who does not," Siwela said.
Human rights activists Effie Ncube was nominated to chair the coalition.
Effie Ncube said the coalition will help to mobilise resources and run public awareness programmes in the alleged $20 billion adultery case. He also said the coalition will run programmes to counter propaganda from the state media.
Ncube is being sued by Onesimus Sibanda for adultery. Sibanda alleges that the archbishop was involved in the adultery affair with his wife Rosemary Sibanda. -- Staff Writer.
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