Lusaka City Council says it had received 268 applications for public gatherings as at Thursday morning.
Out the 268 applications, 240 are from churches, 23 are for weddings, two from golf clubs and three are for funeral gatherings.
So far 24 churches, golf clubs and funerals have been cleared.
Public Health Inspectors are currently in the field checking the suitability of the remaining 216 churches and 23 wedding venues.
The number of applications is likely to increase.
However, LCC Spokesman George Sichimba says Public Health Inspectors are doing everything possible and by the end of the day on Friday, all applicants will have received their results.
“Applicants should note that a mere application does not mean that they have been cleared instead they should wait for results of whether or not they have been cleared. Despite Friday being a holiday, Public Health Inspectors and other essential workers will be working through out the long weekend,” Mr Sichimba said.
A combined team of Public Health, Zambia Police and Council Police will going round to monitor compliance.
“Churches applying for overnight prayers and those who congregate in classrooms will not be granted permission. Churches will also not be allowed to conduct more than one service because its disinfect objects such as chairs and tables is not easy to do between services,” he said.
“For overnight prayers, it is difficult to monitor compliance with public health guidelines while classrooms are too small for observance of social distancing of at least one metre apart.”
Hunger stricken churches are not considerate of the state we are in. Look at Tanzania now, they are in trouble just because of their leaders’ decisions to turn a blind eye on corona virus. The disease is soaring. Meanwhile PF must go!
If these 240 churches were registered functional farms, I don’t think our economy would have been rated as hand to mouth economy and we would not have been worried about a 14 days lockdown.
I’m sure ni ba Pentecostal who believe in instant healing. Kabili it’s full of papas
240 churches ..it says alot about our country..the only reason they want to open is to continue to milk the docile and gullible. If they were serious they would be helping ou t in their communities but oh no they just want to eat and take from people. Most of those on that list are none essential to the economy.
Utuntemba churches. They need food too….give them licenses these unemployed youthful pastors
Even the holiest churches in the holy land are on Lock-down. Zambia why??? Only time will tell; we are still in the beginning of our outbreak, and we don’t want prophets of doom and their money milking churches
Zambia is a Christian nation and therefore it is expected. To those in diaspora calling zambian docile for being Christian and wanting to exercise their right to religion and worship , it says a lot about you and the countries you have sought asylum from. We wont change just because your imperial leaders tell you religion is redundant. Who are you??? A mere cadre milking western states. Kz
Don’t generalize because anything that ends with the word Ministries is an SME, those are among the sectors of the economy that have been relaxed. Are they Methodist, Anglican, Catholic, Adventist, Witnesses, Evangelical, Brethren, UCZ, Reformed, Baptist? If they aren’t then you are talking about SMEs and not churches
‘Utter disaster’ Six weeks later there will be chaos like you never imagined. Given the reckless attitude most Zambians exhibit towards this pandemic, it will take a miracle to control the virus
Mostly pentacostal churches and “Christians for Lungu”.
They want a platform to sing praises to the PF government and get some money.
Thousands of health professionals are questioning the extreme measures set up for an infection that can be cured by ones own immune system. The minority are those who would succumb to a flu virus just as much.
The current lockdown measures which have affected economies all the way down to the employees will cause more deaths from depression, suicide and heart attacks than the virus itself.
WHO needs to rethink its strategy.The world needs to open up.
It must be those churches where everyone speaks in tongues.
And they have pastors that feast on their women flock.
We are all Christians, let churches be closed, even seven months after this pandemic is gone. Let our poor Zambians enjoy their hard earned Kwachas and ngwees. Bo Kaizar, being a Christian nation means Zambians report to Jehovah Yireh the provider. He has given us brains to think and stay home. Pray on television. Now those crook pastors and prophets cannot milk our families. Blessings for Zambia and Africa. Pray for this to end, social distance and stay home. Let the ignorant congregate.
Can they ban overnight prayers for two years. People’s marriages will be saved. Also parents and young people will be more productive this way.
Nzelu did your wife cheat on you with a man of god ? Filachitika. It normally means you are not treating her right. So many young women come after me complaining that their man ain’t treating them right. If I was a bad man I would take advantage but I always tells them that they need to sort their problems by talking to their partners. Kz
The papa’s are on top of that list but the problem now are for those zombies who congregate in classrooms, anyway zambia is a christian nation.these papas can shout with mask on their mouths just to make more money.
Fundraising initiative as guided by the party in government.
So what is the application fee? Processing fee?
What is the percentage of nichekeleko? Anything for the party?
Indeed, who is footing the bill for inspecting these facilities, Is the council charging a fee for the “licences” ? It’s very costly to move all over the place.
Salvation is a personal issue. What Christian nation? Congregants are just being swindled by these pastors of nowadays. Corona Virus is being treated by our medical personnel, the so called pastors are standing aloof.
Okay 240 papa churches . The papas are broke and they cant shine now that they are rich as money from gullible followers is not raining into their pockets. So the hurry to apply for re-opening of their cheating churches. But be careful for the disease will spread like fire and will have too many claims of healing COVID-19 by these fake pastors, papas and false prophets. I end here for now, if GRZ wants this pandemic to spread to all corners of the country, continue allowing churches to meet.
The heading should be; “Churches Apply Urgently, To Become The New Epicenter For Covid19 In Zambia.”
From the most sentiments expressed above one can conclude that most people are pagans. Instead of sympathizing with the situation that has made worship impossible some people are making funny comments on people who have a deire to worship. Shame!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
GRZ is now armtwisting us. We know that GRZ, though ECL, was interested in allowing Churches to open. This scheme failed lamentably. Now GRZ wants to justify the opening of Churches by citing the numerous applications that the City Council has received. My lips are sealed.