Remnant Church
founder and renowned anti-Mugabe pastor, Patrick Mugadza, said Tuesday
that he would soon petition Pope Francis, requesting the excommunication
of the Zimbabwean leader.
Mugadza, who rose
to fame after his arrest last year for staging a one-man demonstration
demanding Mugabe's resignation at the last Zanu PF conference in
Victoria Falls, said the veteran leader has tarnished the image of the
Roman Catholic Church.
"We will soon write to the Pope where President Mugabe fellowships," Mugadza said.
"We will apprise
the Roman Catholic church leader of Mugabe's wanton and gross human
rights abuses against defenceless citizens and request the Zanu PF
leader's excommunication."
The pastor was
speaking in an interview with NewZimbabwe.com soon after demonstrating
against police brutality in Harare this Tuesday.
His protest
followed the arrest and incarceration of dozens of anti-government
protestors across the provinces by the Zimbabwe Republic Police with
many of the activists alleging assault and torture at the hands of the
police.
Although a number
of clerics have lately been condemning the brutality and mis-governance
by Mugabe's government, Mugadza stands-out for being the only one who
has staged street demonstrations.
The country has, in
the last few months, been rocked by riots as bitter Zimbabweans took to
the streets to vent their frustrations and demand that government
addresses their grievances.
Owing to an ailing
economy attributed to poor policies and elite corruption, two thirds of
the estimated 13 million Zimbabweans have found themselves living below
the poverty datum line.