Just when the nation is still battling to come to terms with Primary and Secondary Education Minister, Lazarus Dokora’s banning of Scripture Union in schools, his Ministry has ordered Headmasters to cancel all rental contracts with churches.
Dokora has issued a directive to review all contracts with churches renting school buildings for their weekend services.
A leader of a church renting a classroom in a school in Bulawayo, narrated how they were shocked on Sunday when they arrived for their usual church-service, to be told by school authorities that the Ministry of education has sent a circular demanding all churches to be stopped from using government school properties.
The source said churches may only have access through new agreements signed and approved by Dokora himself through the Provincial Education Director’s office.
The church leader who asked to remain anonymous, “for now while consulting,” said the circular shown to them by the school authorities, states that the Headmasters can no longer enter into contracts on the leasing of government school properties directly with the churches. To get access they must apply through the Provincial Education Director.
To add salt to wounds, Dokora’s circular further emphasises that the hiring out of school buildings and properties is highly discouraged by the Ministry. The arrangement thus suggests that the churches’ applications to the Ministry will be automatically rejected.
In a follow up by ZimEye.com with other churches, three congregations using classrooms at another secondary school in Bulawayo said that they had similar experiences on the same day, Sunday.
The churches claim the authorities at the schools told them that they had been instructed to raise their rental from $50 a month to $360 per month with immediate effect. The churches also confirmed that they were also told to complete lease application forms that will be submitted to the Ministry of Education for approval before they could continue using the premises.
A pastor with one of the churches said that his congregation has been using the school buildings for their services for the last six years without a problem while they are raising funds to build their own church. He said that the increase of rent to $360 was “an indirect way of telling them off.”
The three churches said they will all not be able to afford new rentals and will so be leaving the school immediately for alternative venues.
“The schools were the best place for the churches as they are within the community. Now we don’t know where the poor communities are going to worship,” said one of the pastors.
A headmaster with one school in Bulawayo confirmed the Ministry’s move but attempted defending saying, “the arrangement to get Ministry approval for private persons to use government school premises has always been there but was relaxed along the way realising the needs of the communities,” he said.
“The Ministry has only invoked the same old arrangement and it’s unfortunate because the emphasis is that school premises should not be hired out and I don’t see any churches succeeding in getting authority to use the schools,” said the highly experienced headmaster.
Former Minister David Coltart banned political parties from holding political meetings at the schools only authorising community based initiatives like churches, weddings and community meetings to be allowed to use the properties.
Being a public holiday at the time of writing, Ministry of Primary and Secondary Education authorities could not be found for a comment on the matter.
40 Replies to “Dokora War Escalates – Churches Blocked from Renting School Classrooms”
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Saka what will happen to mission schools anyway they keep making more enemies soon will be out of that office
Don’t worry Christians, these are the last kicks of a dying horse. Dokora is a dog with no teeth that is fighting a loosing battle. We are not worried about barring us from using our classrooms that were built by our tax money and school fees. GOD is omnipotent and ubiquitous we can worship him anywhere. JESUS said birds of the earth have nests but son of a man has nowhere to lay his head. How much important is a place to worship than a place to sleep. Go to hell dokora with those classrooms.
Don’t worry Christians, these are the last kicks of a dying horse. Dokora is a dog with no teeth that is fighting a loosing battle. We are not worried about barring us from using our classrooms that were built by our tax money and school fees. GOD is omnipotent and ubiquitous we can worship him anywhere. JESUS said birds of the earth have nests but son of a man has nowhere to lay his head. How much important is a place to worship than a place to sleep. Go to hell dokora with those classrooms.
not passiveness of Zimbabweans in general?
not passiveness of Zimbabweans in general?
Actually if you all know your constitution well and you understand minority rights and religious equality, you wouldn’t be questioning his decision. It was the constitutional thing to do and if he had not done that anyone could have sued him, that’s why we have mission schools, government schools or institutions are not supposed to endorse any particular religion in any way that is a fundamental concept of constitutionalism. Religion should be kept in churches, houses and mission schools.
Civil Society Organisations and Human Rights Organisations and Oppostion Leaders should demand an explanation from the top
Has this minister even consulted Heads of Religious denominations before making this stupid evil decision of banning Religious Unions
Arikuongororwa all his moves but I personally blame Mugabe for going East.Tarisai all this drama.Somebody talk sence into the president if we still have one.
Arikuongororwa all his moves but I personally blame Mugabe for going East.Tarisai all this drama.Somebody talk sence into the president if we still have one.
Arikudheerera Mugabe Dokora. AfariSA to take ministerial position as a personal property and a forum to propagate his religious afiliations.
Arikudheerera Mugabe Dokora. AfariSA to take ministerial position as a personal property and a forum to propagate his religious afiliations.
Sahwira wangu anotomuziva anotomboonekwa akapfeka hembe dzeBoko Haram
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Sahwira wangu anotomuziva anotomboonekwa akapfeka hembe dzeBoko Haram
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Sahara wani anotomuziva anitomboonekwa akapfeka hembe dzeBoko Haram
Sahara wani anotomuziva anitomboonekwa akapfeka hembe dzeBoko Haram
Rumai nzeve naCIo vambomunhonga. He must resign
Rumai nzeve naCIo vambomunhonga. He must resign
Iwe Pedro it’s our duty to defend our faith.z trust me these Moslem guys are lunatics. Why are zim christians quiet. Something nit right.I hate the passiveness of christians sometimes.
Iwe Pedro it’s our duty to defend our faith.z trust me these Moslem guys are lunatics. Why are zim christians quiet. Something nit right.I hate the passiveness of christians sometimes.
Let’s write a letter to the christian council of churches. They need to appoint a strong leadership which doesn’t sleep nor slumber.
This is what Jesus meant when he said the kingdom of God duffers violence and those who take it take it by force.
Let’s write a letter to the christian council of churches. They need to appoint a strong leadership which doesn’t sleep nor slumber.
This is what Jesus meant when he said the kingdom of God duffers violence and those who take it take it by force.
Ishuwa here? What about having ivo vana Mwari vacho kut varwe vega kudenga ikoko. Allah vs Elohim? Hantiti Elohim unoziva kuti it’s plural ka? Uyezve kuti ndiye Jehova wehondo! Ngavadamburane kudenga ikoko. MaHindu nevamwe vana Mwari vari varefuri
Ishuwa here? What about having ivo vana Mwari vacho kut varwe vega kudenga ikoko. Allah vs Elohim? Hantiti Elohim unoziva kuti it’s plural ka? Uyezve kuti ndiye Jehova wehondo! Ngavadamburane kudenga ikoko. MaHindu nevamwe vana Mwari vari varefuri
Isis
Isis
He is a Satanist. Period.. Manje uyu Jehova wawatamba naye unofura bundo masikati machena
He is a Satanist. Period.. Manje uyu Jehova wawatamba naye unofura bundo masikati machena
Let’s write a letter to the christian council of churches. They need to appoint a strong leadership which doesn’t sleep nor slumber.
This is what Jesus meant when he said the kingdom of God duffers violence and those who take it take it by force.
Let’s write a letter to the christian council of churches. They need to appoint a strong leadership which doesn’t sleep nor slumber.
This is what Jesus meant when he said the kingdom of God duffers violence and those who take it take it by force.
Drogo12, this lunatic is a jihadist. Pasi naye neakamupa this post.
Drogo12, this lunatic is a jihadist. Pasi naye neakamupa this post.
Openers, Dokora is a Boko Haram planted in our country to introduce Islam in zim schools.He needs to be investigated and fired with immediate effect.
Where are the CIOS when the country is being turned to Islam in broad daylight
Openers, Dokora is a Boko Haram planted in our country to introduce Islam in zim schools.He needs to be investigated and fired with immediate effect.
Where are the CIOS when the country is being turned to Islam in broad daylight
Dokora is a Muslim himself. This is an open letter to all Zimbabwe nationals in and outside Zimbabwe. How could President Robert Mugabe appoint a Muslim to head the ministry of Education in Zimbabwe. He , Dokora is Boko Haram. He must defend himself on this platform if this is untrue. Very soon because of this idiot , our kids will disappear.
Dokora is a Muslim himself. This is an open letter to all Zimbabwe nationals in and outside Zimbabwe. How could President Robert Mugabe appoint a Muslim to head the ministry of Education in Zimbabwe. He , Dokora is Boko Haram. He must defend himself on this platform if this is untrue. Very soon because of this idiot , our kids will disappear.
This man is fighting a holly war against Christianity and Christians must fight hard to stop him. His policy on classroom rentals has the whole-marks of an Islamist fighting “Jihad” and trying to decimate the christian faith from the country. Government must look closely at the agenda of this man and who he is working for before he destroys the country.
This man is fighting a holly war against Christianity and Christians must fight hard to stop him. His policy on classroom rentals has the whole-marks of an Islamist fighting “Jihad” and trying to decimate the christian faith from the country. Government must look closely at the agenda of this man and who he is working for before he destroys the country.
Dokora (KaDora) will not win this one.
Dokora (KaDora) will not win this one.