Cleric calls for Mugabe to resign

The Roman Catholic Archbishop of Bulawayo Pius Ncube also urged Zimbabweans not to be intimidated by President Mugabe.

In an interview for BBC One's Heaven and Earth programme, which was aired on Sunday, the archbishop says the Zimbabwean government is corrupt.

President Mugabe has warned bishops against becoming too political.

"African presidents have tried to negotiate with that man to no avail"
Archbishop Ncube

The archbishop says the situation in Zimbabwe is getting steadily worse but even though people's morale has been broken they should not be intimidated.

"As far as I'm concerned he [President Mugabe] must go," he said.

"You can't negotiate with him. It's useless. African presidents have tried to negotiate with that man to no avail."

The archbishop also said opposition politicians in Zimbabwe needed to do more to prove themselves despite having been jailed and tortured.

This week President Mugabe warned his country's Catholic bishops that they were on a dangerous path if they became too political.