Africa's Anglican bishops have issued a message to Zimbabweans that broadly supports the government in sharp contrast with the Catholic Bishops' Easter message condemning government policies and appealing for change.The Anglican pastoral letter, released on Friday ahead of this week's independence celebrations acknowledges Zimbabwe's economic crisis has "rendered the ordinary Zimbabwean unable to make ends meet."
But the 14 Anglican bishops of the central African Episcopal Synod blame the worsening plight of poor Zimbabweans largely on Western economic sanctions.
Western governments dispute that claim, arguing that targeted sanctions on Zimbabwean assets abroad and travel restrictions only affect rulers and policymakers. The sanctions were imposed to protest against Mugabe's human rights record.
Investment and foreign loans to Zimbabwe have dried up after six years of political and economic turmoil following the often-violent seizures of thousands of white-owned farms that began in 2000.
But even with the sanctions, the European Union and the United States are still among the nation's top five trading partners.
Zimbabwe's nine Catholic bishops marked Easter with an unprecedented call on Mugabe to retire. It warned that the current situation is reaching meltdown and the country could face a mass violent revolt.
The Catholic Bishops' pastoral letter accused the ruling elite of racism and corruption and fomenting lawlessness and violence to cling to power and wealth, factors they said led to the economic meltdown.
The letter decried state-orchestrated intimidation, beatings and torture.
The Anglican Church has been traditionally muted in its criticism of the government, with its leaders generally toeing the ruling party line.
Harare's bishop Nolbert Kunonga, was one of the signatories of the Anglican letter.
Frequently praised in the state media for his "progressive sentiment." Kunonga has denounced some black clergy as "Uncle Toms" and puppets of whites and Britain and the United States for their criticism of Mugabe.
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