By Maxwell Chivasa.
LONDON. (News of The South) – Zimbabwe’s great religious friend in the UK, the Archbishop of York, the Most Rev John Sentamu, is wearing his dog collars again after 10 years of protest in solidarity with suffering Zimbabweans.
Archbishop Sentamu cut up his dog collar in protest against former president Robert Mugabe’s cruelty and brutality against his own people.
Watching Zimbabwe news that showed the brutal force of the police beating up protesters, Bishop Sentamu protested on behalf of Zimbabweans live in the BBC studios before TV presenter Andrew Marr’s millions of viewers.
In an act of solidarity with oppressed Zimbabweans the Achbishop pulled out his dog collar and cut it into pieces with a pair of scissors in front of millions of BBC viewers who included Zimbabweans living in the UK.
Achbishop Sentamu spoke with anger and announced there that he would never wear dog collars again until Mugabe had gone. Few believed he would live up to his historic act 10 years ago.
This dramatic act, this Journalist also watched live here in London nearly 10 years ago, was revisited on Sunday this week. This was nearly a week after Mugabe was forced to relinquish power by the army led by General Constantine Chiwenga and the ruling party ZanuPF.
Archbishop Sentamu was at last reunited with his dog collars again on Sunday November 26, in front of millions of viewers showing BBC Andrew Marr the pieces of that historic dog collar in an envelope.
“Normally when I wake up in the morning I tie up the top button of my (cleric)shirt but for another 10 years I haven’t been able to put on my collar back,” said the Anglican Bishop.
Andrew Marr responded: “So every morning you said Zimbabwe Zimbabwe Zimbabwe and you said to me here are the pieces keep them for me. Here are the pieces, they have been sitting in my desk (at BBC in London).”
In another dramatic scene Marr presented Achbishop Sentamu with an envelope that contained the pieces of the dog collar kept 10 years ago.
“You have been a very faithful friend,” said Archbishop Sentamu and he immediately produced a brand new dog collar from his pocket and wore it right on the BBC Andrew Marr Show.
“Look, I promise you that when Mugabe goes I will put on my dog collar back,”
he said.
Archbishop John Sentamu is Archbishop of York
Archbishop Sentamu said that the new President Mnangagwa has to rebuild Zimbabwe again. In a different context Mnangagwa is building Zimbabwe from broken pieces Mugabe left behind, assuming the Archbishop’s broken dog collar pieces could be sent to Zimbabwe glewed up together as a new beginning of development for the country.
Andrew Marr congratulated Archbishop Sentamu after wearing a new dog collar:
“Archbishop Congratulations! You are looking as you should.
“This is a new Zimbabwe (new dog collar) as it should be with a new President Emerson Mnangagwa.”
Archbishop Sentamu advised Mnangagwa to get on with developing Zimbabwe and set up a Truths, Reconciliation and Justice Commission, similar to what South Africa did so that nothing hangs over him.”He can’t simply bury the past, you can not.”
The Archbishop said Mnangagwa might after all this a very good president.
Andrew Marr said Mugabe is gone having said that only God could remove him.
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