MINISTER of National Guidance and Religious Affairs Godfridah Sumaili has said that certification for churches meeting today going forward will be done by Zambia National public health institute (ZNPHI) at no cost.
And Hon. Sumaili has clarified that the number of people to congregate will be dictated by the size of the church Building provided the one-meter social distance regulation is adhered to.
Speaking, Saturday, during the 43rd COVID-19 update, Rev Godfridah Sumaili appealed to the church against meeting without prior certification by ZNPHI to avoid unnecessary confrontation with law enforcers.
The Minister said that if churches are certified to meet today, they should adhere to health guidelines: maintaining the 1-meter social distance between members, wash and sanitize hands before entering church/worship building, mask up, no shaking and laying of hands, no holy communion, provide adequate lavatories with handwashing facilities.
Further, the number of people to congregate will depend on the size of the church. Just ensure your numbers allow you to adhere to 1-meter social distancing and the duration of the service should be kept short, 1 hour should be enough. There should be no Sunday School and children should be kept away from places of worship and churches that bus people, maintain social distance in Buses.
Meanwhile, Health Minister Chitalu Chilufya said that the ministry has enhanced case management and contact tracing to ensure the country tackles the COVID 19 fight effectively. Dr Chilufya said that the country is still under high threat of COVID 19 stating that the country is expected to see an upsurge of cases as mass screening is been conducted.
He said this during the COVID 19 update where he announced that the country has recorded 10 new cases bringing the cumulative number of cases to 119 with 41 cases still active.
Dr. Chilufya, however, said the country has also recorded one discharge of the 74-year-old man on the Copperbelt bringing the number to 75.
He also disclosed that the 3 months old baby that tested positive to COVID 19 is now been weaned off oxygen.
With all due respect Madam Hon Rev Godfridah Sumaili, this will be difficult to police, knowing how many churches we have in our country. These limited health resources should be channeled to fighting this virus on the front line and not to be sidetracked by issuing certificates to churches. We should trust our church leaders to do the right thing, otherwise if we fail these diaspora traitors and their evil god will be excited and celebrate our failures and death of our fellow citizens.
The most useless apology of a minister ever….If she wants to serve God why does she not go and wash clothes in a kids orphanage and keep her fatuous big mouth SHUT.!
religion is a tool used by the ruling classes whereby themasses can shortly relieve their suffering via the act of experiencing religious emotions…..
Apart from zombie control of the masses to forget their hunger , the fake preachers are also hungry and need donations.
The minister is ignorant to the fact that in an enclosed space like a church , congrigating for more than a hour, even social distancing does not work. You will all breath the recycled same air.
What has misled the gullible is the misguided doctrine of the Pentecostals that they can cure you or protect you from anything by just laying the Papa’s hands on while chanting gibberish mantras they themselves don’t even understand. It’s the era of false prophets and unfortunately the State is the prime victim
From the day Britain granted Northern Rhodesia independence, the new Zambia has been a doomed state. All that copper and cobalt sold on the world market, and nothing substantial to show for it! So much fertile land, and abundant water…yet people are hungry for food. So many educated Zambians yet our industries are heavily dependent on expats. The world’s best quality emeralds are being extracted from Zambia but she is not rewarded for it. Zambia was the bastion of power generation in the 1970’s, but is plagued by load shedding today. The litany is endless. Please sell the country to Chinese or Indians and resort to Zambians providing cheap labour for them to run their ventures.
We need to try the covid-organics from Madagascar.
They will say they hv certification from God, end of story. Wht can be above God in a Christian nation?
Mike Paige: Pay a visit to India. It’s a country held back by massive corruption and a Hindu social system that doesn’t believe in human development for all. Indua has some of the world’s biggest slums where informality, drugs, prostitution and all manner of vices rule the roost.
“KZ” today I agree with you, at this stage no one is even sure how is transmitted . better stay home
It looks like government wants to
Backtrack about this decision but
Failing to reverse it.We can all see
The conditions attached to it.Its
Like telling someone to put food in
The lions mouth without being
Bitten by it.
Bunch of confused people do you think a certificate will stop covid 19 close the Churches for now don’t kill our people this virus is not a play.
KZ today you have switched your VPN to South Africa that’s why you sound a bit sensible today.
Haha that is my clone based in south Africa my dear.he is a diasporan. My VPN will always be United kingdom. My comment is as follows; this is great initiative by our mother. The certification is free and no one will be excused for not abiding by the rules. Should any church be found wanting, do not blame us when you are lusambod. I wont blame my brother for whipping you in Lusaka areas. In fact I think it worked. Kz
“MINISTER of National Guidance and Religious Affairs Godfridah Sumaili has said that certification for churches meeting today going forward will be done by Zambia National public health institute (ZNPHI) at no cost.”
Tamumfwa? You continue trying to defend an indefensible statement, just an exercise in futility and piling more embarrassment instead of allowing us to forget the embarrassing episode. My concern and advice:
1. That Zambia health institute is busy fighting COVID-19 and now you want to divert its attention from the frontline battle? Do you have any heart for people? Do you even think?
2. The president never said that there will be any certification required to congregate; you have placed so much emphasis on his words “may” and now you are filling the word with all…
…2. The president never said that there will be any certification required to congregate; you have placed so much emphasis on his words “may” and now you are filling the word with all manner of dangerous imaginary proposals and “guidance”. In short you are telling people that you are opening a can of worms for the president.
3. The first church to announce its opening was Bread of life. Googling rev Sumaili reveals that she was a pastor in that church before attaining her “honourable” position. Coincidence or does it explain misleading the president that we saw the other week?
If I were the president this reverend would have gone back to the pulpit in shame like yesterday. Remember there is not only COVID-19 to fight but COVID-2021 too.
ALL CHURCHES MUST REMAIN SHUT UNTIL WE CONTROL THIS EPIDEMIC…WHAT IS SO COMPLICATED FOR THIS WOMAN TO UNDERSTAND. IS THIS ROCKET SCIENCE. I FOR ONE AM NOT ENTERING ANY CHURCH BUILDING. I WILL WORSHIP ONLINE!! THOSE WHO CAN WORSHIP ONLINE CAN LISTEN TO SERMONS VIA RADIO OR EVEN PRAY ON THEIR OWN… AND PLEASE DO NOT DISTURB GOD…HE IS BUSY TRYING TO HELP COUNTRIES WHERE THE SITUATION IS MUCH MORE SERIOUS…..
Minister of National and Religious Misguidance..
The president can keep it at his own peril.
A recent experiment where COVID 19 droplets were Aerosolized in a confined room demonstrated that these Aerosols remain suspended in the air for 3 hours on average.
Take a Church situation where one or two singers with COVID 19 lead in praise worship. It means one or two infected singers in church will produce enough Aerosols to infect everyone in that church. I don’t understand the logic in the Certificates being dished out as these won’t protect anyone!
What a useless minister wasting tax payers money…
This is pathetic. What certification do to avert Covid_19 transmission? Are the law enforcers going to be in every certified congregating Church? All Churches are under the guidance of the word of God. You want to take the place of God in certifying who should and who should not worship God in a Christian nation? That is why you will lead us into a curse. Think twice and stop any manner of church assembly, lest some start thinking they are discriminated against. Be wise Madam!
What will certification…
mmmmmmm………Zambia sure!!!!!?>:”