By Dumisani Ndlovu
Mkoba South Member of Parliament, John Kuka has challenged the Gweru City Council to avail church stands which has proven difficult to get in the city of progress. Speaking at the official opening of Ascot Seventh Day Adventist Church building ceremony, Honourable Kuka who praised the church leaders and congregants for the hard work he said they exhibited in the construction of a state-of-the-art church, expressed concern over the restrictive measures he said are put in place when a church applies for a stand. “Congratulations Ascot SDA for the stride and endurance your Church Elder Matsa has just narrated. From his presentation I got deeply hurt and crushed in spirit to learn that you finally got the stand the hard way,” he said. “To you, local councillors and Gweru Mayor, why is it difficulty for one to get a church stand, while it take only two minutes to approve a beer hall stand? Why reluctance in approving stands for those that made us leaders through prayers. I therefore challenge you to avail many church stands than beer halls so that youth will know where to go than spending their time on drugs, “said Hon. Kuka to a deafening round of applause. Hon. Kuka said churches are key in curbing drug and substance abuse, as a result it is the responsibility for those in local authorities to see that they speedily avail church stands.The legislator’s remarks follow indications that Gweru city officials are reluctant in availing and approving church stands.“I have been to different churches in our constituency, only to realise many churches use schools as their place of worship. May councillors please do something,” said Hon. Kuka. Speaking at the same occasion, SDA Church Elder, George Matsa condemned the lackadaisical tactic by Gweru City Council in approving, surveying and inspecting church stands.“We got this stands after a long struggle and it took us several years to get the stand. We had applied way before Mayor Bwerazuva up to 2006 when there was Mayor Zvidzai that is when we finally got this stand. Imagine getting the stand after such a scuffle and long years. At one point when we got it at Mr Musendeki area, the council blocked us from acquiring it, saying it’s in residential areas, where construction of a church was not allowed. And we lost it,” said Elder Matsa to the grumbling of the audience.
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