News / Local
Open-air worshippers defy council ban
12 Mar 2014 at 18:10hrs | Views
OPEN-AIR worshipping is on the rise again in Bulawayo's high and low density suburbs, despite an earlier council ban.
Calls by the city council to arrest defaulters of the ban have fallen on deaf ears as the worshippers are adamant not to vacate those places as they say "Jesus, himself worshipped in the wilderness."
The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) last year expressed concerns at the large the number of people using the bush as their places of worship.
BCC cited the disturbance of peace within the cities and the inappropriateness of relief places used by worshippers, as some of its major concerns against open-air worshipping.
Worshippers who were interviewed by Radio Dialogue, were vowed that they would continue using the bush as their preferred place of worship and dared council officials to arrest them.
Maswera Moyo, one bush worshipper, "We have been praying from the bush for the past three years. Jesus prayed from such places but no one banned Him. How can you tell me of a ban today."
When quizzed about lack of ablution facilities, the worshippers responded by saying that people used to relieve themselves in the bush before toilets were invented.
Contacted for a comment, Patrick Ncube, who spoke on behalf of BCC Director of Health Services attributed the rising problem of open air worshipping to the shortage of men-power that would strictly control implement the ban.
"We do not have enough men-power to conduct frequent raids on these people. There are quite a number of illegal activities going on in the city, which need our attention. This makes it difficult for us to be everywhere when there is need," Ncube said.
Ethical principles was another conflicting issue noted by the city council, as it had to bend some rules and laws to accommodate different religions
After effecting the ban, the city council gave worshippers options such as using school grounds, council halls or stadiums at minimum rates.
Calls by the city council to arrest defaulters of the ban have fallen on deaf ears as the worshippers are adamant not to vacate those places as they say "Jesus, himself worshipped in the wilderness."
The Bulawayo City Council (BCC) last year expressed concerns at the large the number of people using the bush as their places of worship.
BCC cited the disturbance of peace within the cities and the inappropriateness of relief places used by worshippers, as some of its major concerns against open-air worshipping.
Worshippers who were interviewed by Radio Dialogue, were vowed that they would continue using the bush as their preferred place of worship and dared council officials to arrest them.
Maswera Moyo, one bush worshipper, "We have been praying from the bush for the past three years. Jesus prayed from such places but no one banned Him. How can you tell me of a ban today."
When quizzed about lack of ablution facilities, the worshippers responded by saying that people used to relieve themselves in the bush before toilets were invented.
Contacted for a comment, Patrick Ncube, who spoke on behalf of BCC Director of Health Services attributed the rising problem of open air worshipping to the shortage of men-power that would strictly control implement the ban.
"We do not have enough men-power to conduct frequent raids on these people. There are quite a number of illegal activities going on in the city, which need our attention. This makes it difficult for us to be everywhere when there is need," Ncube said.
Ethical principles was another conflicting issue noted by the city council, as it had to bend some rules and laws to accommodate different religions
After effecting the ban, the city council gave worshippers options such as using school grounds, council halls or stadiums at minimum rates.
Source - Radio Dialogue
