Zimbabwe News Online: Open air worshippers to pay US$20 fine if caught praying on open site

Open air worshippers to pay US$20 fine if caught praying on open site
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Chronicle on 08 September, 2010 03:49:00
 
The move has set council on a collision course with the churches who have vowed
to resist any attempts to stop them from worshipping God. The churches accused
council of expediting the processing of stand applications for foreign-based
churches at the expense of local ones.
This came out during a meeting that representatives from five open-air churches
held with the Governor and Resident Minister of Bulawayo Metropolitan Province
Cain Mathema at Mhlahlandlela Government Complex yesterday.
The churches alleged that they were issued with unsigned letters by council
rangers last week, ordering them to vacate their places of worship within seven
days.
“The letters said if we did not comply we would be prosecuted. The fact that
rangers then verbally told us we would each be fined US$20 makes us think they
just hatched a plan to steal money from our members. The letters did not even
have a date stamp or the council logo,” said Bishop Tsungai Ushe of Runyararo
Apostolic Church.
The churches alleged that the local authority was pushing a hidden agenda by
persecuting them.
“They want to promote homosexuality in the city. Foreign-based churches that
preach same sex unions are allocated stands within a week of applying but when
it comes to us, the process becomes complicated. Our applications mysteriously
disappear from their records and we are asked to re-apply over and over
again,” said Bishop Sydney Mabhiza, also of Runyararo Apostolic Church.
A number of the churches alleged that BCC officials ask them to identify stands
that they want to buy and then go on to refuse them permission to buy the
stands.
“They give us excuses like, ‘the portion of land runs over a water pipe’.
They are the ones who have maps of the city, so they should tell us which land
is available instead of playing games with us,” Bishop Mabhiza said.
Madzibaba Philip of Johanne Masowe weChishanu blasted council for wasting
resources by fighting churches.
“Instead of using money to fix overflowing sewers, they burn fuel harassing
innocent churches that bring a lot of good to the city.
“Even if our church does not believe in erecting buildings for worshipping, we
need a stand where we can build toilets and have running water. Council is
denying us the chance to own a piece of land,” he said.
He challenged the city council to award them stands and give them an ultimatum
to build within four weeks and see if they would not comply. Governor Mathema
said the churches had his full support on the issue.
“Why is persecution of churches happening in Bulawayo only? Even the President
(Mugabe) who is a stickler for abiding by rules has stated on several occasions
that Zimbabwe has freedom of worship. Why are Bulawayo councillors fighting
that?” he asked.
He said he would write a letter to Bulawayo’s Mayor, Clr Thaba Moyo, to
arrange a meeting between BCC and the churches so that they could resolve the
issue amicably.
Contacted for comment, BCC’s senior public relations officer, Mrs Nesisa
Mpofu, said churches were free to engage council over the issue of stands.
“We have an open-door policy. If any church feels they were treated unfairly,
they should come to council and we will go through their applications to find
out why they were turned down,” she said.
However, she could not comment on allegations of corruption by rangers and
referred the matter to the Director of Housing and Community Services, Mr Isaiah
Magagula. Mr Magagula could not be reached for comment as he was said to be in a
meeting.
The Bulawayo City Council has in recent months started enforcing Section 27 (b)
of the Protection of Land and Natural Resources Act of 1975, which outlaws
open-air worshipping.
The local authority has even threatened to unleash riot police on worshippers
who continue to defy directives to stop congregating in the open.