Zimbabwean archbishop says he would risk his life leading protests

Published: 2007-03-23

HARARE, Zimbabwe (CNS) -- Archbishop Pius Ncube of Bulawayo urged Zimbabweans to continue their protests against government oppression and said he was willing to risk his life by leading them. "We must be ready to stand, even in front of blazing guns," Archbishop Ncube said at a March 22 news conference in the capital, Harare. "I am ready to stand in front," he told the news conference, organized by the Zimbabwe Christian Alliance. Noting that "starvation stalks our land," Archbishop Ncube said people should fill the streets and demand that President Robert Mugabe "steps down now." Inflation in Zimbabwe is more than 1,700 percent and there are severe shortages of food, fuel and medicine. Unemployment is close to 80 percent. "The biggest problem is that Zimbabweans are cowards, myself included," the archbishop said. He was quoted by Reuters, the British news agency. "We must get off our comfortable seats and suffer with the people," he said.

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