The ManicaPost
Abel Zhakata Senior Reporter
THE Anglican Church Diocese of Manicaland adultery case has taken a new twist with the grieved pastor, whose wife allegedly slept with a fellow reverend, revealing this week that he was gagged by senior clerics from telling the truth about the matter as this would tarnish the image of the church.
In last week’s interview with this publication, Reverend Talent Makanga vehemently denied that he caught his wife in a compromising position with Reverend Position Chikuruwo but yesterday the man of cloth made a U-turn saying he was instructed to lie about the incident in order to protect the image of the church.
He said he, indeed, caught his wife with his colleague and has since decided to separate with her over the matter.
The accused Reverend Chikuruwo also dismissed the story as false saying “he will not dignify nonsense by responding”.
However, the latest developments unfold following the leakage of a complaint letter which was allegedly written by Rev Makanga to Bishop Eric Ruwona in which he requested the Bishop to intervene in the adultery case.
In the letter dated June 12, 2019, a copy of which this paper has, Rev Makanga chronicled how he found his wife, Lynnette Manyumwa, with Rev Chikuruwo.
“On Friday June 7, 2019, an incident occurred around midnight at our parish house where I and my cousin William witnessed Rev Chikuruwo and my wife in a spare bedroom.
“Upon arrival we were astonished and disheartened with the kind of night dress that my wife was putting on and Reverend (Chikuruwo) was trying to put back his shirt.
“I failed to get a clear explanation and went to bed. The following morning I informed my relatives and the Dean about the issue.
“The family resolved that my wife needs sometime at her home village. On 11 June, the DS and Ven Chikore, his wife and a neighbour came to hear the story that had gone viral.
“The conclusion was that what the two did was not proper and (they)were supposed to apologise of which they accepted,” wrote Rev Makanga.
He went on and said the matter was troubling him.
“Lord Bishop this issue has devastated and traumatised me and I am confused.
“As a family we have done our part and (we) will follow the procedures according to Shona culture. I just pray that as for my brother priest it is up to the church to decide. As I have presented my facts before to the DS and his delegation and they all agreed that the issue was very sensitive. I am now leaving the issue to them. For me to discuss it further it is quite disheartening,” he said.
During yesterday’s interview Rev Makanga confirmed that he wrote the letter.
“I am the one who penned the letter chronicling what happened. You should realise that there was a lot of pressure when this thing happened about three weeks ago. The church leaders felt it would tarnish the image of the church so we were gagged. This is the reason it came out the way it did in The Manica Post.
“Right now I was told to go on leave pending investigations of the matter. I detailed everything that happened in the letter to the Bishop and I am surprised that the Bishop is saying he has not yet seen my letter. In fact, when it happened, we actually went to the Officer Commanding Mutare District Police office where my colleague apologised for what happened. I forgave him and my wife during that meeting at Mutare Central Police Station. However, after the incident, I decided to separate with my wife,” he said.
When contacted for comment Bishop Ruwona said he heard about the story and he duly advised the complainant to put in black and white what had happened.
“When such things happen we institute investigations. When I heard about the case I advised the complainant to write a report. I have not received the letter (Rev Mukanga’s) you are talking about and it is surprising how a letter that is said to be addressed to me is finding you first,” he said.
