Zimbabwe Archbishop Refuses to be Silenced
A leading Catholic Archbishop in Zimbabwe has declared his defiance against the latest attempts by the country's government to silence critics, saying he will not be muzzled.
Posted: Wednesday, December 21 , 2005, 9:58 (UK)

One of Zimbabwe’s leading Catholic figures has proclaimed his refusal to be muzzled by the country’s government, adding that he does not fear the Zimbabwean Government’s latest threat to clamp down on its critics, reports Ekklesia.

Catholic Archbishop Pius Ncube of Bulawayo, known for his outspoken criticism of the Zimbabwean Government, said: “They [Mugabe’s forces] will not silence me and I will continue to denigrate the evil things they have done against their own people.”

A ruling party conference recently called for a list to be compiled by the security forces blacklisting Zimbabweans whose passports should be seized under the new laws aimed at muzzling opponents.

The spokesman for the main opposition party and a leading Zimbabwean publisher whose papers have featured stories voicing criticism against the government have already had their passports confiscated.

The United Nations humanitarian envoy, Jan Egeland, described Zimbabwe as being in “meltdown”, after a recent four-day tour of the country. Egeland estimates that around three million people will be in need of food aid by February. Story