One of Zimbabwe President Robert Mugabe’s fiercest critics will be preaching in Gaborone next weekend.
During a television interview in December 2007, the Archbishop of York, Dr. John Sentamu, cut up his priestly dog collar in protest against Mugabe’s human rights violations, and vowed not to wear the symbol of the clergy until the Zimbabwean president steps down. He urged others to “pray, march, protest and collect money” for the cause of Zimbabwe’s people. ??“Do you know what Mugabe has done? He has taken people’s identity and literally – if you don’t mind – cut it to pieces,” Sentamu said in a BBC live interview. “As far as I am concerned, from now on I am not going to wear a dog collar until Mugabe is gone.”
Coming from the Church of England’s second most powerful figure after the Archbishop of Canterbury, Sentamu’s act made headlines across the world, and ruffled feathers in Harare.
Sentamu is scheduled to preach next Sunday at the Anglican Cathedral, where he is the guest of honour at the 40th anniversary celebration of the Anglican Diocese of Botswana.
The 63-year-old Sentamu was born in a village near HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kampala” \o “Kampala”Kampala, Uganda, the sixth of 13 children and studied law at the famed HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Makerere_University” \o “Makerere University”Makerere University, HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kampala” \o “Kampala”Kampala. After graduation, he practised as an HYPERLINK “http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barrister” \o “Barrister”advocate of the High Court of Uganda until 1974, when he was forced to flee the regime of Idi Amin after a 90-day detention.
Arriving in Britain, he proceeded to study theology, leading to his ordination in 1979. On 5 October 2005, he was enthroned the first black Archbishop of York. Sentamu’s meteoric rise gave way to speculation that the Church of England might eventually have a black man at its helm. He was, naturally, thought a forerunner to become the next Archbishop of Canterbury when Dr. Rowan Williams announced his retirement late last year, eventually losing out to Justin Welby.
A very outspoken personality, Sentamu last year made the prediction that “there will be women bishops in my lifetime”, just a day after the Church of England voted against their introduction.
“In the Church of England over the past 20 years, we have also been waiting and looking forward to the time when women would be ordained bishops. Sadly, we do not yet have a good legislation on which everyone can agree,” he blogged after the General synod voted to maintain the status quo.
“We remain committed to the promise that women will become bishops, and to our hope that this won’t be too long. But, because we are a church which welcomes a wide range of people and theological understanding, we also remain committed to our promise to find a way of giving adequate space to those who cannot agree, on theological convictions, that the change is right. This is not an easy balance, and we need lots of patience, prayers and a willing generosity of spirit towards each other,” he wrote.
But his harshest criticism has been directed at the excesses of the Zimbabwe government, perhaps mindful of his own ordeal at the hands of Amin’s regime. Last August, he penned an op-ed article in the British paper The Times in opposition to the UK government’s decision to relax sanctions against Mugabe and his inner circle.
“It is fair to say that I did not expect still to be collarless five years on. I’m even asked occasionally why I have forgotten to wear one ÔÇô but my answer remains that this corrupt and oppressive regime has simply been allowed to carry on for too long,” he stated. “Whilst the British Government seems to be considering easing some sanctions against Mr. Mugabe and his personal allies, I am not convinced that the time has come to weaken international opposition to the President of Zimbabwe’s irresponsible, undemocratic, lawless, and at times brutal regime. I certainly won’t be placing an order for a new clerical collar…just yet.”
He warned against letting Mugabe “off the hook”, and urged the international community to stand in solidarity with the people of Zimbabwe and not forget the abuses and exploitation they have suffered at the hands of their government.
He implored the Southern African Development Community (SADC) states that stood together successfully to defeat apartheid in South Africa to now stand together to stop human rights abuses and bring an end to government-sponsored violence within member states which has led to deaths, shocking injuries and mass scale displacements.
“What we need to see is justice and transformation for the ordinary people of Zimbabwe ÔÇô the farmers and the workers ÔÇô we owe them too much to give up now,” he stated. I do hope to wear my collar again before too long, but I it would be best if this is because free and fair elections have taken place in Zimbabwe, legally and peacefully removing from office the President who is responsible for so much violence and destruction. The international community cannot afford to turn its back on the people of Zimbabwe in their hour of need.”
