Open air churches to use beerhalls to curb spread of diseases

OPEN air churches, a majority of them belonging to Apostolic sects, will soon worship in Bulawayo City Council's non-functional beerhalls to curb the spread of cholera and typhoid, councillors resolved.

Debating during a full council meeting on Wednesday, the councillors also agreed to defy a recent Ministry of Education, Sport, Arts and Culture directive banning the use of schools for activities that are not school-related.

They argued that some churches that had no buildings to worship in had been accommodated at schools and if they returned to the bush, diseases might spread in the city.

Councillor Edward Ndlovu of Ward 25 was the first to suggest that open air worshippers should be accommodated at beerhalls.

"Some of the open air worship groups are very small. Those that require shelter should be encouraged to use community facilities and those who require no shelter should use the school grounds and beer garden grounds," said Clr Ndlovu.
Councillors supported the idea during the meeting and said the beerhalls had toilets that the churches could use, instead of relieving themselves in the bush.

On the issue of the ban by the ministry, councillors did not mince their words.

"As a local authority, we have jurisdiction on issues that fall within the city. Allowing a situation whereby so-called ministers meddle in every little issue is wrong. Let us say no. We have managed to contain the problem of open air worshipping by accommodating churches at schools where there are ablution facilities, for a fee that assists schools to raise funds. However, someone, just because they are called a minister, just makes a silly decision out of nowhere. I say we must say no to this," said the outspoken Deputy Mayor, Clr Amen Mpofu.

Ward 21's Clr Reuben Matengu agreed with Clr Mpofu, saying it was important to think of churches when making policy decisions as they played a pivotal role in moulding society's morals.

"Churches reduce crime and they pray for us. We must petition the ministry to reverse its decision, until the city can provide land for them," said Clr Matengu.

Clr Israel Mabaleka from Ward 15 said the environmental management and engineering services committee should write a letter to the ministry asking it to re-consider its decision because there were many crimes committed when people worshipped in the bush.

In a previous meeting, he asked why council was taking so long to deal with open air churches and suggested that the Government should be approached for a lasting solution.

Summing up the discussion, the Mayor, Clr Thaba Moyo, said council should act swiftly and decisively on the issue, regardless of residents' reactions.

"Action is needed even if people cry or scream because diseases are coming if the matter is not resolved. We can use council schools and others. As the Bulawayo City Council, we have made a decision. If the ministry is against it, they should tell us where to take the worshippers," declared Clr Moyo.

The latest council report shows that Clr Ngwalo Nyathi of Ward 23 that covers Nkulumane 10, 11 and a portion of Nkulumane 5, held a meeting with church leaders, residents and other stakeholders in his ward.

The meeting has reportedly resulted in the elimination of open-air churches in the ward.

The debate on open-air churches has been raging for years, with councillors accusing the churches of causing environmental degradation.

A number of churches have been allocated stands, but have failed to develop them.

Council started fining the churches' members $20 each in 2010 in a bid to stop them from using the bush to worship, but to no avail.

At one time, open-air worshippers said the city council was "waging a war against God" by outlawing their churches.

Madzibaba Jovela Nyoni of Messiah's Era Ministries said the council would never win the war and divine retribution was likely to visit councillors in the form of fire and brimstone.

The churches have always maintained that banning them impinged on their constitutional right to freedom of worship.

The local authority launched a blitz on open-air churches, saying they went against Section 27 (b) of the Protection of Land and Natural Resources Act of 1975.

Despite municipal police arresting about 30 people every month over the issue, the churches continue to sprout around the city.
 
The council has even threatened to enlist the help of riot police to overcome defiance by the worshippers.

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