WITH just a few days before the year comes to an end 2023 was a busy calendar for the Anglican Diocese of Manicaland Bishop Eric Ruwona who has been described as a workaholic.
Ruwona is also the Anglican Council of Zimbabwe (ACZ) chairperson which has six dioceses.
In February this year, Ruwona was acquitted of trumped up charges where he was accused of intimidating a witness who had reported him for corruption.
The complainant in the matter was Arnold Makamba, a headmaster at St Faith High School in Rusape.
Makamba said he had never reported Ruwona over corruption and was never intimidated.
Ruwona, who had preached unity in May, installed the dean of the Anglican Diocese of Manicaland and rector of St John’s Cathedral Reverend Fortune Kuzinya in Mutare.
Kuzinya replaced Luke Chigwanda who is now the general secretary of ACZ.
Through ACZ, the church in June hosted the annual Bernard Mizeki pilgrimage in Marondera where President Emmerson Mnangagwa was the guest of honour.
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President Emmerson Mnangagwa was accompanied by his deputy Constantino Chiwenga and Zanu PF national chairperson Oppah Muchinguri who is also a church member.
It was one of the historic pilgrimages where over 20 000 congregants attended to commemorate the life of the martyr who died in 1896.
There was no parking space at the pilgrimage as thousands of church members respected the day.
Mizeki was an African Christian missionary and martyr.
The pilgrimage came at a time the country was heading for the August 2023 elections and Ruwona, addressing the gathering in his welcoming remarks said his church was ready to mediate between political parties to de-escalate tensions in the country.
He told the gathering that the role of the church was to ensure peace prevails before and after the elections, whatever the outcome.
“Allow me to state that the ways churches operate differ. The Anglican Church in Central Africa does not engage in partisan politics,” Ruwona said.
“We are very patriotic and engage in all matters of national interest. We are there as referees and mediate when politics and communities disagree. This is why we run more than 100 schools in Zimbabwe and hospitals and clinics because the welfare of our communities is of great interest to us,” Ruwona told Mnangagwa.
“We are very patriotic and engage in all matters of national interest. We are there as referees and mediate when politics and communities disagree. This is why we run more than 100 schools in Zimbabwe and hospitals and clinics because the welfare of our communities is of great interest to us.” He added
Diocese-run schools are some of the country’s best performers when it comes to academic results and these include St Augustine, St Faith Mission, St David’s Bonda High, and St Annes Goto.
Enrolment has also given authorities at the schools headaches as thousands of parents flock the schools to seek quality education.
The church has announced plans to privatise its mission schools to improve the quality of education, a move that is set to empower local children by giving them scholarships among other benefits.
Most of the schools run by the church also attract experienced personnel.
In an interview with the Standard Ruwona said 2023 was a fruitful year after accomplishing all their programmes.
“We were able to accomplish all our programmes and targets as a church, he said they have managed to recover after the Covid-19 era, we are now planning for the coming year; pray for peace in our country , we hosted President Emmerson Mnangagwa at the Bernard Mizeki under the Anglican Council of Zimbabwe,” he said
Diocesan secretary Edmond Zambe Samutereko has been applauded for running the day-to -day affairs of the church.
