Zimbabwe church leader calls for uprising against Mugabe
{{date|March 28, 2005}}
[[Image:LocationZimbabwe.png|right|200px]]
A Catholic archbishop in [[w:Zimbabwe|Zimbabwe]] urged followers to start a non-violent, popular uprising against the country's president, [[Robert Mugabe]]. Archbishop [[w:Pius Ncube|Pius Ncube]] on Sunday told a South African newspaper that he hopes that Mugabe will be ousted in the parliamentary elections that are scheduled for Thursday.

Ncube is an outspoken critic of Mugabe's government. Ncube said, "I hope that people get so disillusioned that they really organise against the government and kick him out by a non-violent, popular, mass uprising". He believes that Thursday's vote will be rigged, ensuring victory for the currently ruling party, the [[w:Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front|Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front]] (Zanu-PF). The government was also recently criticized for implying that supporters of the opposition party will be denied food by the government's food distribution program.

Ncube's statements may be seen by the government as a call for unauthorized protest &mdash; a crime in Zimbabwe punishable by up to 20 years in jail. Ncube seems aware of the dangers of protests: "People must be ready even to risk losing their lives; everyone wants to keep safe," he said. The main opposition, [[w:Movement for Democratic Change|Movement for Democratic Change]], said that police arrested 200 demonstrators at a rally on Sunday. 

Robert Mugabe has ruled the country since the end of white rule in the country in the 1980s.

== Related news ==

*{{Wikinews|title=Zimbabwe's Mugabe: Vote for us or starve|date=March 26, 2005}}

== Sources ==
*{{source
|pub=BBC News Online
|url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/africa/4386343.stm
|date=March 27, 2005
|title=Zimbabwe cleric urges 'uprising'
|author=}}
*{{source|pub=Herald (UK)|url=http://www.theherald.co.uk/news/36124.html
|title=Time for uprising, church leader tells Zimbabweans
|author=Michael Hartnack (AP)
|date=March 28, 2005}}
*{{source
|pub=China Daily
|url=http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/english/doc/2005-03/28/content_428687.htm
|title=Zimbabwe clergyman urges Mugabe's ouster
|date=March 28, 2005
|author=}}

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[[Category:Zimbabwe]]
[[Category:Elections]]
[[Category:Robert Mugabe]]
[[Category:Africa]]
[[Category:Movement for Democratic Change]]
[[Category:Roman Catholic Church]]
[[Category:Christianity]]
[[Category:Religion]]

[[de:Simbabwe:Erzbischof ruft zu Revolte gegen Mugabe auf]]
200px
A Catholic archbishop in Zimbabwe urged followers to start a non-violent, popular uprising against the country's president, Robert Mugabe. Archbishop Pius Ncube on Sunday told a South African newspaper that he hopes that Mugabe will be ousted in the parliamentary elections that are scheduled for Thursday.

Ncube is an outspoken critic of Mugabe's government. Ncube said, "I hope that people get so disillusioned that they really organise against the government and kick him out by a non-violent, popular, mass uprising". He believes that Thursday's vote will be rigged, ensuring victory for the currently ruling party, the Zimbabwe African National Union - Patriotic Front (Zanu-PF). The government was also recently criticized for implying that supporters of the opposition party will be denied food by the government's food distribution program.

Ncube's statements may be seen by the government as a call for unauthorized protest — a crime in Zimbabwe punishable by up to 20 years in jail. Ncube seems aware of the dangers of protests: "People must be ready even to risk losing their lives; everyone wants to keep safe," he said. The main opposition, Movement for Democratic Change, said that police arrested 200 demonstrators at a rally on Sunday. 

Robert Mugabe has ruled the country since the end of white rule in the country in the 1980s.

de:Simbabwe:Erzbischof ruft zu Revolte gegen Mugabe auf
Zimbabwe Elections Robert Mugabe Africa Movement for Democratic Change Roman Catholic Church Christianity Religion