03 Nov 2013

The Minister of Labour and Home Affairs, Mr Edwin Batshu has said government is concerned about the conduct of some pastors.

Speaking at the official opening of the Followers of Jesus Christ Church temple over the weekend, Mr Batshu said  there was growing trend of some pastors who went against the Bible principles and abused young people including children.

Mr Batshu said there were also instances of some pastors engaging in adultery and even theft, the acts which he said did not show any commitment to the 10 Commandments.

The minister, who is also Nkange MP, noted that government considered a church as a partner in ensuring peace prevailed and in moulding responsible citizens but it was disappointing that some church leaders engaged in activities that misled the nation.

He called on churches to ensure they became exemplary in abiding to the country’s rule of law by submitting the returns annually as stipulated in the Societies Act.

Mr Batshu said his ministry was also concerned by the mushrooming of churches, which he said was partly because of conflicts within the church. He encouraged the churches to ensure that they consulted and addressed their differences amicably adding that  one way of consulting was through the conducting of annual general conferences and meetings.

He said due to the mushrooming of churches the allocation of plots for the civic community has become even more difficult. On other issues, Mr Batshu implored the church community to pray for rain and peaceful general elections next year.

Earlier in his welcome remarks, the executive board chairperson of Followers of Jesus Christ Church, Mr Geoffrey Keganne decried that  the size of plots allocated to churches was a challenge.

Mr Keganne said since churches were given plots that were equal to residential plots they were unable to provide parking for congregants, build baptism pools and even build houses for the care takers within the church premises.

He lamented that because of the size of the plots, constructing baptism pools within the premises posed risk of drowning to the children. Mr Keganne noted that the church was a role player in building the nation that is free from HIV/AIDS, passion killings, theft, drug and alcohol abuse and therefore the government should heed its needs.

Bishop Peter Ndlovu, who is the project architecture and engineer of the church building, said the cost was estimated at over P1.4 million and it is the biggest that the church owns in Southern Africa.

Giving a brief history of the church, Bishop Manners Ngwenya said in Botswana the church started in 1976 and has branches countrywide. The church is also in South Africa, Zimbabwe and Ireland.

The ceremony was graced by  the Francistown East MP who is also the Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mr Phandu Skelemani as well as church representative from the countries that the church has branches in. Ends