Calvin Manika
THE recent announcement by government for churches to resume services for a limited fully vaccinated congregants has been received with mixed feelings in Hwange.
While a few churches in the coal mining town complied with the directive others completely failed to open.
A snap survey by The Zambezi Times in Hwange showed that many church goers for one reason or another are not yet fully vaccinated to attend physical church services.
The survey further showed that the church community is not yet organised as many were still coordinating on how to implement the government directive. Brian Ncube, a pastor at Apostolic Church of God said the attendance is poised to increase in the coming weeks.
“People were relaxed and some unwilling to take the jab despite our encouragement as leaders. Zimbabweans love church so I am expecting to see many coming in the next few weeks. Others are starting while some had received only the first jab, waiting for their second dose,” said Ncube.
Mary Banda of Jehovah Witnesses said they have been told to wait until further notice.
“Since March last year we haven’t attended a physical church service. We are having online zoom services, the leaders advised us that maybe we will resume when the pandemic is over,” said Mary.
Some few churches who opened their doors like the Roman Catholic, ZAOGA, and AFM witnessed few numbers. Another pastor who spoke on condition of anonymity said the directive was unconstitutional and discriminatory.
“Vaccination is voluntary and the government knowing that more than 80% of its population goes to church one way or the other they are forcing people to get vaccinated. It’s so sad that the government which is supposed to protect our freedoms of choice is reversing such rights by hook and crook even in sacred things like church.”
However, people continued to flood vaccination centres dotted around the town as they sought to get the jab which is now on demand. Of late Hwange has been designated as hotspot of Covid-19 as the coal town witnessed many positive cases than other districts in the province.
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