Priest in Zaire disheartened, sad (4)
I believe the answer is:
ezra
'priest' is the definition.
(I have seen 'Biblical priest ' mean 'ezra' so perhaps 'priest' could also mean 'ezra')
'zaire disheartened sad' is the wordplay.
'disheartened' suggests removing the centre.
'sad' indicates an anagram.
'zaire' with its middle taken out is 'zare'.
'zare' with letters rearranged gives 'EZRA'.
'in' acts as a link.
(Other definitions for ezra that I've seen before include "Book after II Chronicles" , "Eponymous scribe of the Old Testament" , "religious book" , "Jewish priest - book of the Bible" , "Old Testament book and rabbi" .)