HARARE - Yesterday’s Supreme Court ruling ordering ex-communicated Anglican Church bishop Nolbert Kunonga and his gang to vacate Anglican Church properties will be celebrated across the Christian community.

While the judgment put paid to Kunonga’s sordid intentions as he had become a law unto himself; we ask why it had to take so much pain and suffering.

Did the Anglican Church have to go through all these antagonising years to get such a verdict? What was the rationale behind it taking five years to solve?

Throughout the scuffle, reports abound of the police aiding Kunonga’s invasions which resulted in violent disruption to education and health institutions run by the Anglican Church across the country.

The police, who had over the years aided Kunonga in evicting Anglicans on a court order up until today, the police have not cared to challenge allegations levelled against them.

News of the Supreme Court’s verdict compelling Kunonga to vacate all Anglican Church properties is welcome news to all peace-loving and God-fearing Zimbabweans.

The Christian community should rejoice because good has prevailed over evil.

Zimbabweans should take solace from this verdict, hoping as we move towards the much anticipated elections next year, we still have some modicum of justice within our judiciary.

For once the courts have shown its professionalism, in the process reining rogue elements within our society who have helped built this false impression overseas that our country is an outpost of tyranny.

For once, we believe there was no need for priests, teachers, nurses and orphans to be bullied by Kunonga and his gang for so long.

His actions brewed confusion at iconic schools like St Augustine and Daramombe where his men forcibly took over.

The ruling also follows a visit to Zimbabwe by the Archibishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams, the highest ranked man in the Anglican Church.

While in Mutare and Penhalonga, Williams came face to face with the violent nature of Kunonga’s supporters as hired thugs barred him from entering Church buildings there.

While Kunonga tried to discredit Williams’ Zimbabwe visit by playing the “homosexuality card”, he was left with egg on the face after the Archibishop of Canterbury was invited to meet two of the most important politicians in the country — President Robert Mugabe and Prime Mister Morgan Tsvangirai.

We hope Kunonga will take heed of the ruling and stop his madness.

The Anglican Church is bigger than Kunonga and any individual for that matter and time was running out for those working hard to divide or even control it. - Staff Writer