Church gatherings to increase from 10 to 100 people
The government has bowed down to pressure from faith groups and other members of the public who have been opposing the newly gazetted Covid-19 guidelines which allows religious gatherings as well as places of worship to increase from 10 to 100 people.
Minister of Health Khumbize Chiponda has announced the reversing of guidelines of public gathering that she announced a few days ago.
A maximum of 100 people will be allowed in places of worship.
She added that government will also be opening airports in the first week of September.
Addressing the media, Chiponda said the Tonse Alliance government is a listening government hence, it has decided to review the guidelines.
Chiponda along with other members of the Presidential taskforce on Covid-19 says they have consulted with faith groups and other stakeholders.
“Some measures that we had announced met resistance and today we had a meeting with religious leaders. After discussions, we have resolved that public gatherings revert to 100 people. Let me appeal that we follow all other preventive measures,” she said.
Minister of Information Gospel Kazako says the Tonse Alliance government is open to criticism hence it has reviewed the public health guidelines.
Kazako said the new government is different from DPP government which was rigid and threatened people whenever there was resistance on some of the measures that government was putting in place.
He said the u-turn on size of public gatherings from 10 to 100 is not a sign of weakness but commitment to listen to people and ensure that everyone is part and parcel of the the fight against the Covid-19 pandemic.
However, he says faith groups and other stakeholders have to adhere to the preventive measures failure which the number of people for public gathering will be reduced again.
Prophetic Ministries Association of Malawi (Promam) led by prophets David Mbewe and Justice Hara, bemoaned the lack of consultations in the new preventive measures.
“Churches might meet in tens or might not meet at all, but so long as all these other places continue to gather without observing any of the measures, our efforts are nothing but a joke,” it reads in part.
On Monday, the Catholic Church’s Episcopal Conference of Malawi also expressed disappointment on the lack of consultation, but encouraged their followers to strictly adhere to the health guidelines.
Among the new rules, individuals are supposed to wear masks in all public areas, failing which, they will be fined K10 000; public gatherings are limited to 10, or face a K100 000 fine and three months imprisonment.
Cumulatively, Malawi had recorded 4 752 cases by Wednesday and 152 deaths.
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Kodi anthu osavala mask mask mukawagwira 146. Sikufalutsa covid 19 Kumeneko. Nanga ku cell kuli mpweya or social distancing?
Malawi government at the helm of leadership crisis .It seems the country has no president but Mbusa who dont know what to do …..In all these things ,where is chilima who claim kuti amaganiza booh ,is there any sign of Kuganiza booh kapena kupepela at its best ?
You cant govern by committee, make decisions and stand by them. No phuma, we elected you to lead us not to always please us.
Uku nde kupusa. So it’s ok for the churches to spread the virus? How do you maintain distancing with such a large number of people, more so with the majority gathering small in churches? Nkhani yavuta apa ndi ya zam’mbale. You might as well lift restrictions on funnel services as people normally gather outdoors hence able to social distance.
My take on this Covid-19 status in Malawi is: We Malawians are not serious. Copy and paste will not take us anywhere. We are just trying to copy what the Chinese did, by announcing what we think are new infections, forgeting that the Chinese are very very rich, so rich they could lock down a city like Wuhan. Their lock down was a true lock down and they had almost true figures of infected people and any increases from that were new infections. It’s different case altogether here in Malawi. We can’t have a lock down because are too poor… Read more »
Mungopitiliza pomwe APM anasiira coz u don’t know how to run things….koma kulubwa too much…..azeze
Now open up schools under strict COVID-19 measures. Let us save our young girls from early pregnancies and marriages. COVID is here to stay like any other disease.
You must withdraw your old shambolic gazette and replace it with a new one which talks of 100 people. Don’t just whisper to us. Running Govt is not running in a demonstration. Chakwera is surely the most laughable president we have ever had. Too much changing of goal posts abusa. And currently we are already lost as to which Covid guidelines should we actually follow? By the way, Gospel Kazako was all over telling us that he is working on reducing data bundle costs. Kodi data bundle yatsikadi??? Talk is cheap but we need actions! Nanga za duty Free week… Read more »
A Blind man cannot lead another blind man…churches are there to save the souls of men and women while the government is there to save the physical part of the human. Some will stay at home and some will go and gather in their 100s but when Covid start killing your children and dependent will suffer. Church will not 24/7 to look after them. Stay home for few months and let the virus go away. Churches were there before and they will there after.,,,,Most of the churches are business to make money..Reduced attendance mean reduce income….ndangova anyamata oitanira minibus chitsale… Read more »
Experimental government. Clearly sakudziwa what they’re doing. Too bad!
Tsopano awa a Kazako akuwona ngati ife ndi makape. don’t talk about DPP now !!! You are in the Boat and don’t blame other people.
Paja mwalowa Chokolo mu cabinetmo. zaziii. Tiyeni tidzingomwa zakumwazo muyo utalike basi