February 28, 2013
(Anglican Curmudgeon)
Charges of TEC-Related Fraud and Bribery Filed Re: Election of Tanzanian Primate
The general synod of the Anglican Province of Tanzania held an election on Saturday to select a primate, and now a complaint has been filed with the provincial House of Bishops to suspend the results of the election pending an investigation into charges of fraud and bribery.
Elected by just three votes on the third ballot was Bishop Jacob Chimeledya, a graduate of Virginia Theological Seminary—but the total number of votes cast in the election was alsothree more than the number of clergy and laity present and voting.
The runner-up was the existing primate of Tanzania, Archbishop Valentino Mokiwa, who had been serving since 2007, and who was eligible for one more five-year term.
The complaint asks the House to annul the election, and to remove from their offices the synod’s General Secretary, Dr. Dickson Chilongani, and its Registrar, Prof. Palamagamba Kabudi. It alleges that the election had been rigged by means of “walking around” money to the tune of $50,000, spread among those who voted for +Chimeledya, and that the money came from a source within the Episcopal Church (USA).
However, supporters of Bishop Chimeledya have charged that it was Archbishop Mokiwa and his followers who used American money to try to influence the election. But if so, the attempt obviously failed—and the extra three votes remain unexplained.
The two factions differ sharply over the current stance of the Province toward the Episcopal Church (USA) and the Anglican Church of Canada.
In 2006, after ECUSA’s General Convention failed to make any meaningful response to the Windsor Report, the Tanzanian House of Bishops issued a statement condemning the stance of ECUSA, and declaring that its communion with that Church was “severely impaired.” At the same time, the House of Bishops declared that the Anglican Province of Tanzania would remain in communion with those in ECUSA (or those who had left) who are “faithful to Biblical Christianity and the authority of Scripture.”
Bishop Chimeledya and his followers do not support that position, and want to have Tanzania declare that it is once more in full communion with ECUSA and the ACoC. They also reportedly want to distance the Province from the Global South and GAFCON. That agenda is what makes the charges of bribery and fraud in the election so critical.
Ironically, in the same 2006 statement, the Tanzanian House of Bishops declared:
Further to the consequent state of the severely impaired communion, the House of Bishops of the Anglican Church of Tanzania declares that henceforth the Anglican Church of Tanzania shall not knowingly accept financial and material aid from Dioceses, parishes, Bishops, priests, individuals and institutions in the Episcopal Church (USA) that condone homosexual practice or bless same sex unions.
It will evidently take some time for the truth to emerge. When it does, there could be repercussions here in America. – ‘Stand Firm’
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“(The complainant) – alleges that the election had been rigged by means of ‘walking around’ money to the tune of $50,000, spread among those who voted for +Chimeledya, and that the money came from a source within the Episcopal Church (USA).” – A.S. Haley –
This gleeful reporting – on the U.S. ‘Stand Firm’ web-site – by well-known ‘Anglican Curmudgeon’, C.S.Haley, makes serious allegations that implicate TEC’s involvement in recent charges made in Tanzania about the possible ‘rigging’ of the recent election to the Primacy of the Province of Tanzania. by monetary inducement!
While it may be well-known that “two factions (in the Province) differ sharply over the current stance of the Province toward the Episcopal Church (USA) and the Anglican Church of Canada” – with the newly-elected Bishop Jacob Chimeledya having succeeded to the Primacy after Archbishop Valentino Mokiwa had served his first 5-year term (and was standing for a second term) – it is indeed, scandalous to think that the change in leadership might have been influenced by unorthodox monetary influence being exerted by anyone – let alone the TEC Province!
Bishop Jacob is on record as being in favour of resuming filial relationships with both TEC and the Anglican Church of Canada. So it is probable that those who disagree with his newly prospective outreach to the North American Provinces of the Communion will generate support for the leadership of the previous Archbishop and, in the meantime show suspicion of the possibility of a corrupted process.
However, for ‘Stand Firm’ and ‘Anglican Curmudgeon’ to suggest that the vote was rigged at the instigation of TEC is surely a ‘step too far’ – especially before the Tanzanian Church has fully investigated the discrepancy in voting procedures. This is tantamount to an injustice being perpetrated against the Anglican Churches in America and Canada – before the matter is properly investigated and settled by the Tanzanian Provincial authorities. However, ‘Stand Firm’s’ endemic opposition to the Leadership of TEC has become legendary, so that any effort, seemingly, will be made to bring them down.
Father Ron Smith, Christchurch, New Zealand
Kiwianglo's Blog 
It’s a rather curious charge, really. Those who have been knowingly and willingly paying off “Global South” church leaders for years have little room to make any complaint. Of course, this is the usual tactic of right wing extremists. Because bribery and corruption are standard operating procedures for them, they assume that everyone else has the same moral vacuity.
This has now been pronounced to the world by the GAFCONites and the US/Canadian schismatics, so this will ever thus be the gospel concerning this matter, regardless of the results of any investigation.
So I noticed, David, in today’s ACNS notification of the approval by the Tanzanian Bishops of the election of the new Archbishop. Of course, one construction on the disputed election could be that it was indeed US money that secured the extra 3 votes – but neither TEC’s nor the ACC’s money. After all, they would never have supported a GAFCON puppet.