Bulawayo City Council Should Avail Land than Demean Open Air Churches: Churches Leader Says
14 November 2022
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By A Correspondent| The Bulawayo City Council which recently had no kind words for churches practicing open air has been described as insincere.

Speaking on the sidelines of the Ecumenical Clergy Conference on Saturday in Bulawayo , Council for Churches in Africa president Dr Archibishop Rocky Moyo, the Bulawayo City Fathers should rather take the blame for failing to avail land to churches so they can built.

“The reason we have many churches sprouting on open spaces is that the City Fathers are failing to fulfill their ‘fatherly’ role of facilitating land for churches,” said the CCA boss.

“We have been encouraging our members to build infrastructure but we have some apostolic churches whose doctrines strictly allow them to worship in open spaces.
“However, as an organization we have organized that at least they should built ablution facilities,” added Dr Archibishop Rocky Moyo.

Recently the Bulawayo councillors were quoted in a local publication having linked the erratic rains to the mushrooming of open air churches.

Early this year, Deputy Mayor Mlandu Ncube told a council meeting there was the need to come hard on the open air churches since there is a provision for churches to legally acquire land for worship. However, Dr Moyo says more than 200 applications have been made to the Bulawayo City Council by CCA members some dating back to 15 years ago.

“Its a lie that churches are not applying for land because I can confirm that we have 222 applications some that were done 15 years ago.

” We wonder what it takes for Churches to get land from the city council, “questioned the cleric.

Meanwhile, dozens of church leaders including pastors, bishops and evangelists were trained on various aspects of religion including crafting of sucession policies in their churches.

Addressing delegates, Zanu PF director of research Dr Davison Gomo said churches should support government efforts.

“I implore you as churches to compliment government’s development agenda, Vision 2030,” urged Dr Gomo.

The conference started on Friday and ends on Sunday where the Bulawayo provincial minister Judith Ncube is expected to grace the event together with women’s affairs , community, SMEs development minister Sithembiso Nyoni.