News / National
Victoria Falls 'bans' open air worship
08 Jul 2016 at 07:01hrs | Views
VICTORIA Falls council has crafted a by-law to bar apostolic sects from worshipping in prohibited open spaces.
The Control of Worship in Urban Areas and Open Spaces by-law 2016 is intended to regulate and control open air worship in the town.
Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube told The Chronicle that council had started the process of consulting residents following the crafting of the by-law after studying one which is operational in Harare as the city also faces similar problems with open air worship.
"We have agreed as council to introduce a by-law and we got this from Harare. The by-law has gone through council and we need to consult residents and hear if there are any objections before we can take it to Government for approval and implementation," said Mr Dube.
He said once in place, the by-law will empower the municipality to arrest open air worshippers.
In March, the Victoria Falls Municipality obtained a court order in which a magistrate barred apostolic sects from worshipping in open spaces as they were deemed to be a nuisance.
"We tried but failed to remove them. We went to court and we got an order using the Public Health Act and now we need a specific by-law," said Mr Dube.
The municipality has been having problems with Johane Masowe WeChishanu, Johane Masowe Jerusalema, Johane Masowe, and Puritan Apostolic Church who are all members of the Union for the Development of Apostolic Churches and Zionist Churches in Zimbabwe and Africa (UDACZCZA) over open air worshipping.
Mr Dube said the council has since allocated UDACZCZA some land at Kinshasa in Chinotimba where there are toilet facilities.
"If you look at Kazungula and Bulawayo roads, people just go there and start worshipping yet there are designated areas we have allocated them which we are trying to regularise. We don't want the Buffer Zone to be interfered with so that we maintain the 70 metres between the nearest suburb and the road," said Mr Dube.
The Control of Worship in Urban Areas and Open Spaces by-law 2016 is intended to regulate and control open air worship in the town.
Town Clerk Mr Christopher Dube told The Chronicle that council had started the process of consulting residents following the crafting of the by-law after studying one which is operational in Harare as the city also faces similar problems with open air worship.
"We have agreed as council to introduce a by-law and we got this from Harare. The by-law has gone through council and we need to consult residents and hear if there are any objections before we can take it to Government for approval and implementation," said Mr Dube.
He said once in place, the by-law will empower the municipality to arrest open air worshippers.
"We tried but failed to remove them. We went to court and we got an order using the Public Health Act and now we need a specific by-law," said Mr Dube.
The municipality has been having problems with Johane Masowe WeChishanu, Johane Masowe Jerusalema, Johane Masowe, and Puritan Apostolic Church who are all members of the Union for the Development of Apostolic Churches and Zionist Churches in Zimbabwe and Africa (UDACZCZA) over open air worshipping.
Mr Dube said the council has since allocated UDACZCZA some land at Kinshasa in Chinotimba where there are toilet facilities.
"If you look at Kazungula and Bulawayo roads, people just go there and start worshipping yet there are designated areas we have allocated them which we are trying to regularise. We don't want the Buffer Zone to be interfered with so that we maintain the 70 metres between the nearest suburb and the road," said Mr Dube.
Source - chronicle
