Zimpapers Logo

Mashudu Netsianda, Senior Reporter

THE Apostolic Faith Mission of Africa (AFMA) annual camp meeting kicked off yesterday at its headquarters in Lobengula Extension suburb in Bulawayo with congregants drawn from the church’s local and international branches thronging the sanctuary.

The traditional annual convention was last year held virtually due to Covid-19 disruptions. Worshippers throughout the country had gone for months without congregating in their places of worship in line with the lockdown regulations, which President Mnangagwa recently reviewed following the emergence of the new variant Omicron.

AFMA president and overseer Reverend Rosewell Zulu said they were conducting the camp meeting under strict Covid-19 regulations.

“God has been good to us because he has once again allowed us to meet amid these unprecedent tough times. Our temple is spacious with a ground floor and upper galleries and we are very particular when it comes to the sitting arrangement so that we maintain social distancing,” he said.

“We are observing Covid-19 protocols and that is proper wearing of face masks, sanitising, social distancing and I am glad that our congregants are adhering to those health regulations. For the purposes of managing our members as they arrive at the camp ground, we decided to just open one entrance so that we are able to control and monitor them.”

Rev Zulu said they also disinfected the church building before the start of the service in line with national Covid-19 guidelines and World Health Organisation (WHO) health regulations.

When Chronicle news crew visited the venue of the camp meeting, it observed that there was largely some form of adherence to the prescribed measures aimed at curbing the spread of Covid-19 such as maintaining social distancing and hand sanitising.

Congregants were being checked temperatures and their hands being sanitised at the gate and before entering the church yard. Inside the church, congregants maintained social distancing with 50 percent of the church capacity in attendance.

“We are grateful to President Mnangagwa for easing the lockdown regulations by lifting the ban on church gatherings. It is also important to point out that these regulations set by Government are critical as they help protect us as citizens and as Christians, we should follow them,” he said.

The camp meetings runs up to January 2.

The AFMA is one of the country’s biggest churches which was formed by the late Reverend Morgan Sengwayo in 1955.

@mashnets