Loughty Dube
17 August 2007
ARCHBISHOP Pius Ncube has spoken out for the first time since a $20 billion adultery lawsuit was filed against him by a Bulawayo man two months ago.
Ncube addressed Bulawayo residents in Magwegwe at a meeting organised by the Solidarity Trust.
However, Ncube's address was cut short by police who ordered that the time applied for the meeting had elapsed.
Ncube however in his address did not tone down on his criticism of President Mugabe's government which he accused of dealing with secondary issues while ignoring those that were pertinent.
"People in this government are now boasting of their evil," said
Ncube. "The government is concentrating on secondary issues and ignores pertinent issues. The government should stop focusing on people's private lives and deal with issues that should help people."
He also took a swipe at the government price controls.
"The price controls are extreme and are justified by lies by the Zimbabwe government. We should resist them and if the insensitive government slashes fees as they are threatening to do, then we will close Catholic schools and if they go ahead with the threats then I will make sure that happens (closing schools),"Archbishop Ncube said.
One of the organisers of the meeting with the residents, Qhubekani Dube of the Solidarity Trust, said police ordered the meeting to be stopped a few minutes after Archbishop Ncube had started addressing city residents who had attended the meeting.
The meeting was the first public meeting by Ncube after a Bulawayo man Onesimus Sibanda filed a $20 billion adultery lawsuit against the cleric.
The lawsuit was announced at a press conference attended by the state media and the case later played out in the state media where pornographic pictures of the alleged affair were splashed.
A private investigator, Ernest Tekere, allegedly produced the pictures after he claimed that he was hired by Sibanda to track down his wife, Rosemary Sibanda, who was allegedly having an affair with Ncube.
Ever since the adultery allegations were levelled against Ncube he had shied away from the media and not made any public statements over the matter.
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