ITV: Zimbabwean Bishop Speaks Against Tyranny

Inside the Vatican's Andrew Rabel offers a unique interview with the heroic Archbishop Ncube of Zimbabwe. This interview will appear in the June-July issue of Inside the Vatican.

The most outspoken critic of the repressive regime of President Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe is Archbishop Pius Ncube of the archdiocese of Bulawayo.

The 60-year-old bishop was made one of the Top 10 persons of the previous year in the Jan 2006 issue of Inside the Vatican, and has been the recipient of numerous awards and prizes for his courageous stance in drawing attention to the human rights situation in his country.
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In March, after the arrest and beating of opposition leaders at a prayer rally Archbishop Ncube said, "I am ready to stand in front. We must be ready to stand, even in front of blazing guns. The biggest problem is Zimbabweans are cowards, myself included. We must get off our comfortable seats and suffer with the people."

However, he emphasizes the faith of Catholics and their trust in prayer as the primary means of dealing with the brutal situation. Still, he continues to denounce Mugabe (himself educated by Catholic missionaries in the former Rhodesia), insisting that he must go.

The interview can be read here at Inside the Vatican's Newsflash...