Chronicle Editor
Robin Muchetu, Senior Reporter
APOSTOLIC sects have been encouraged to apply for land and build churches in authorised areas and comply with the laws of the country that seek to protect the environment and prevent the spread of diseases caused by open urination and defecation.
Archbishop Tsungai Vushe the vice-national chairman for Vapositori nemaZion for Economic Development said while churches should enjoy freedom of worship, there was a need to do that within the confines of the laws that protect the environment and the health of others.
“We enjoy freedom of worship as enshrined in the Constitution but that right must be enjoyed within the parameters of other laws. We should know that a right ceases to be a right when it violates other people’s rights. As such our right to freedom of worship should not interfere with the environment and health of others.
“There is a great need for a good relationship between religious sects, where they worship, and the laws governing those areas. Those who want to worship and need land must apply for land from local authorities and build churches, this way we worship and live in peace as a country,” said Archbishop Vushe.
His comments come amid concerns from Bulawayo City Council and other local authorities around the country that open-air worshipers who have not built churches were violating certain by-laws. Councils have been discouraging apostolic churches from worshiping in open spaces as it promotes open defecation and urination which is a serious health hazard.
BCC, last week resolved to penalise apostolic sects for degrading the environment as they invade land while conducting open-air worshipping where they also construct illegal structures that have the potential to cause an outbreak of diseases.
The council said the sects were occupying virgin council land without authority and the areas have no potable water or sewer reticulation.
The church, however, pleaded with BCC not to arrest or penalise churches that had made the effort to apply for land and are on the waiting list.
“We ask the Government, through the various councils around that those churches that will have applied for land and are on waiting lists to be allowed to worship at convenient places availed by the council while they wait to be allocated land and build churches.
“We do not want people to worship while on the lookout for council police. We cannot worship like criminals, always running away from the police,” said Archbishop Vushe.
He also said the church must worship in clean places that do not promote the spread of diseases and other unfriendly practices.
“There is a need to protect people from disease outbreaks that emanate from church gatherings such as cholera and typhoid. These places need to be clean at all times. Worshipers should apply for land to build churches legally. We also need to follow council by-laws with strict discipline,” he said.
He also said it was important to respect environmental laws as prescribed by the Environmental Management Authority (EMA) that ensure that the land remains safe from various pollutants.
“If we follow by-laws we are doing well for our churches and worshipers because we will always be found on the correct side of the law. No-one will bother us if we act correctly while we worship.
“All churches must follow rules and regulations set by Government departments that operate around us. There must be order in the country, if we fail to adhere to these set rules then we will be abusing our freedom of worship,” said Archbishop Vushe. — @NyembeziMu
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