News / Local
Bulawayo descends on open-air worshippers
09 Dec 2013 at 09:48hrs | Views
THE Bulawayo City Council (BCC) has resolved to take a tough stance on backyard and open air worshippers alleging that they cause a serious health hazard and noise pollution for other residents.
Responding to questions from Sunday News the council's public relations officer, Miss Bongiwe Ngwenya, revealed that not only were backyard worshipping facilities illegal but were conducted in areas that did not have any basic sanitary facilities.
She said the major problem with backyard and open air worshipping was that they were done in areas which do not have basic sanitary facilities and were fouling the environment, resulting in smell and fly nuisances, with the messed and fetid environment increasing the risk of diseases.
The practice is in violation of Bulawayo by-laws of 1975, Protection of Lands and Natural Resources, section 27(b).
"Council policy with regards to worshipping is that all forms of worship should be conducted from church premises with approved sanitary facilities, where this is not the case then worship can be done at stadia or community halls. Worship from backyards is not permitted as houses are only meant for dwelling purposes, this will also disturb the peace of neighbours and the toilet facilities are not designed to cater for large gatherings," said Miss Ngwenya.
She noted that the problem of open-air and backyard worshipping continued to give the local authority a headache adding that there was a need for stringent measures to curb the practice. Miss Ngwenya said they would take the issue seriously as it had far reaching health implications to the city as a whole. She, however, noted that the strategy of raiding the worshippers was yielding no major results as churches were growing in numbers by the day.
"The problem of open-air worship continues. There is a need to approach it from a multi-sectoral angle with the various stakeholders. The current approach has been to raid the sites where this is taking place and advise the violators to desist from the practice as it is a potential health hazard.
"However, we noted that the raids have not had a lot of impact as the various sites are far apart and the churches are many, there is a need to encourage and educate the worshippers on the need to use designated facilities," said Miss Ngwenya.
However, Bulawayo United Residents Association (Bura) chairperson Mr Winos Dube noted that while open-air worshipping was clearly illegal, council was supposed to consult the offenders.
"Yes these open-air and backyard worshippers could be causing problems in the city because of their haphazard placements, council must develop a more consultative attitude in the whole matter and engage those practising it so as to have a more practical solution. At the end of the day if council decides to take a confrontational approach they will always be engaged in a cat and mouse game with these people.
However, the worshippers should also consider the amount of pollution they are causing to the environment," said Mr Dube.
Open-air worshippers, mainly from the Apostolic sects interviewed expressed dissatisfaction on the move by the local authority saying the issue had to be handled with care as they were being punished for worshipping their God.
"This is the way the Bible tells us to worship our Lord, the council cannot just come and chase us away willy-nilly, I believe there is a solution rather than just arresting us," said an Apostolic sect member, who identified himself as Madzibaba Mlilo.
Another worshipper, Madzibaba Mahachi, alleged that the local authority had not cared to consult them on the issue but was instead moving ahead with the resolution without their input.
"What we understand is that some church leaders were consulted but the majority of us were ignored, this should be a wholesome matter and we are not saying we want to resist the council but something has to be agreed upon," he said.
The problem of open-air and backyard worshippers has been a constant headache for the local authority, at one point they threatened to fine open-air worshippers $20 per head for anyone caught at the open-air prayer sessions around the city. However, this has been met with strong resistance with some Christians, saying the attempt by the local authority was tantamount to the violation of the freedom of worship, guaranteed in the Constitution of Zimbabwe. Council has argued that over the years it had parcelled out stands to several churches to build proper structures.
Responding to questions from Sunday News the council's public relations officer, Miss Bongiwe Ngwenya, revealed that not only were backyard worshipping facilities illegal but were conducted in areas that did not have any basic sanitary facilities.
She said the major problem with backyard and open air worshipping was that they were done in areas which do not have basic sanitary facilities and were fouling the environment, resulting in smell and fly nuisances, with the messed and fetid environment increasing the risk of diseases.
The practice is in violation of Bulawayo by-laws of 1975, Protection of Lands and Natural Resources, section 27(b).
"Council policy with regards to worshipping is that all forms of worship should be conducted from church premises with approved sanitary facilities, where this is not the case then worship can be done at stadia or community halls. Worship from backyards is not permitted as houses are only meant for dwelling purposes, this will also disturb the peace of neighbours and the toilet facilities are not designed to cater for large gatherings," said Miss Ngwenya.
She noted that the problem of open-air and backyard worshipping continued to give the local authority a headache adding that there was a need for stringent measures to curb the practice. Miss Ngwenya said they would take the issue seriously as it had far reaching health implications to the city as a whole. She, however, noted that the strategy of raiding the worshippers was yielding no major results as churches were growing in numbers by the day.
"The problem of open-air worship continues. There is a need to approach it from a multi-sectoral angle with the various stakeholders. The current approach has been to raid the sites where this is taking place and advise the violators to desist from the practice as it is a potential health hazard.
"However, we noted that the raids have not had a lot of impact as the various sites are far apart and the churches are many, there is a need to encourage and educate the worshippers on the need to use designated facilities," said Miss Ngwenya.
However, Bulawayo United Residents Association (Bura) chairperson Mr Winos Dube noted that while open-air worshipping was clearly illegal, council was supposed to consult the offenders.
"Yes these open-air and backyard worshippers could be causing problems in the city because of their haphazard placements, council must develop a more consultative attitude in the whole matter and engage those practising it so as to have a more practical solution. At the end of the day if council decides to take a confrontational approach they will always be engaged in a cat and mouse game with these people.
However, the worshippers should also consider the amount of pollution they are causing to the environment," said Mr Dube.
Open-air worshippers, mainly from the Apostolic sects interviewed expressed dissatisfaction on the move by the local authority saying the issue had to be handled with care as they were being punished for worshipping their God.
"This is the way the Bible tells us to worship our Lord, the council cannot just come and chase us away willy-nilly, I believe there is a solution rather than just arresting us," said an Apostolic sect member, who identified himself as Madzibaba Mlilo.
Another worshipper, Madzibaba Mahachi, alleged that the local authority had not cared to consult them on the issue but was instead moving ahead with the resolution without their input.
"What we understand is that some church leaders were consulted but the majority of us were ignored, this should be a wholesome matter and we are not saying we want to resist the council but something has to be agreed upon," he said.
The problem of open-air and backyard worshippers has been a constant headache for the local authority, at one point they threatened to fine open-air worshippers $20 per head for anyone caught at the open-air prayer sessions around the city. However, this has been met with strong resistance with some Christians, saying the attempt by the local authority was tantamount to the violation of the freedom of worship, guaranteed in the Constitution of Zimbabwe. Council has argued that over the years it had parcelled out stands to several churches to build proper structures.
Source - sundaynews
