By CHINOYI CHIPULU
Chingola Municipal Council (CMC) has banned Churches from conducting overnight prayer meetings as they do not fall under the permitted hours of worship.
According to CMC Assistant Public Relations Officer Nambela Kyombela said the move is in line with efforts to combat the spread of Corona a Virus.
Ms Kyombela said the Local Authority is mandated to recommend and enforce preventive measures in order to prevent the occurrence or transmission of Covid-19 In it’s area of jurisdiction.
She said that a team of Public Health Inspectors will be conducting inspections to ascertain levels of compliance by the public.
“CMC is hereby calling on members of the General Public desist from conducting over night services as they exceed by far the permitted hours of worship.
“The Local Authority is mandated by the provisions of the Public Health (Infected Areas) (Corona Disease 2019) Regulations and Public Health (Notifiable Infectious Diseases ) (Declaration) Notice, 2020 of the Laws of Zambia, to recommend and enforce preventive measures in order to prevent the occurrence or transmission of Covid-19 In it’s area of jurisdiction,” she said.
She said following the update of Covid-19 countrywide on the eminent of the fourth wave, churches should only meet 3 times a week for one hour per meeting and submit an attendance register to the department of Public Health
“Further, all overnight services are prohibited because they exceed by far the permitted hours of worship, ”she said.
