Chronicle Editor
Leonard Ncube, Victoria Falls Reporter
TWENTY-NINE Apostolic and Zionist churches that have over the years been fighting running battles with Victoria Falls City Council over open-air worshipping have finally agreed to relocate to designated land.
The churches fall under the Union for the Development of Apostolic Churches in Zimbabwe (Udaciza), a faith-based organisation of Apostolic and Zionist churches with a membership of 450 denominations countrywide.
Some of the churches had been worshipping under trees especially in the Buffer Zone, a stretch of reserved land either side of Hwange-Victoria Falls Road which should be kept in its pristine form for tourism purposes.
The Buffer Zone had been destroyed and littered by open air worshippers hence the council decision to relocate them to alternative land. Resistance by the churches had resulted in the issue spilling into courts until an agreement was struck between the two parties.
On Friday Udaciza officially commissioned its stand measuring 12 152 square metres at Kinshasa in Chinotimba where all the 29 denominations will be housed. They will build a school-set up with each denomination having its own premises.
So far the organisation has paid US$151 000 for the land to the council, which is 71 percent of the total amount of US$213 000 thus a balance of US$61 000. Fifteen of the churches are ready to move on site as they have fully paid their dues while the remainder is yet to pay.
They have built ablution facilities hence they can start worshipping from the premises and council community services officer Mrs Hannah Munenekwa commissioned the facility on Friday.
“At some point we were worried that this was not going to work but we are glad to be here today commissioning this toilet block. Let’s help each other, there are some who still want to worship on prohibited areas and are saying they can’t mix with other churches. If everyone can comes this side the council can seek more land for churches,” she said.
Each of the 15 churches was allocated its stand within the premises where they can start building structures.
Mr Clement Mukwasi, a member of one of the churches and has been at the forefront of engaging council said the journey was long like that of the Israelites but was well executed.
“This is time to celebrate. Let’s help the other churches that are struggling to raise development fees and also encourage those who still worship under trees to come this side as we agreed with council,” he said.
General Foundation Apostolic Church founder, Apostle Jinoti Francis Moyo said the development marks growth of the church in Zimbabwe.
“This is a good development for evangelisation and it means growth of the church and country at large. When we preach we have to do it at a better place. We have been visiting our branches in Mabale, Nsenga, Manjolo, Ndonga, Chimwala and others and now we can focus on building here so that we start helping other branches as well,” he said.
Udaciza secretary general Mrs Annete Sithole said the premises are designed in the form of a school and all the churches will use a similar plan. She said the 15 churches applied for early development permits to be allowed to build ablution facilities so that they start worshipping at the premises and move away from prohibited places. Mrs Sithole said they learnt a lesson not to fight but engage as the church following the battle with council.
“We engaged council in 2016 and the result is shown in that we have now started developing our stands and have paid 71 percent of the fees. We thank council and individual churches can now start building as all premises have been pegged. We will rent out the premises for school purposes during the week which will be revenue for us,” she said. — @ncubeleon
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