300 pupils stranded: following demolition of church building
Written by Millennium on June 24, 2019
NOEL IYOMBWA writes
@SunZambian
MORE than 300
pupils at Field of Light Community School in Lusaka’s John Howard compound have been forced to learn in makeshift structures made from some iron sheets after a church they had been using as a community school was demolished.
The Apostolic Church in John Howard compound was recently demolished by another named church over a land dispute.
John Howard ward three Councilor Kafula Mutale said the pupils have been negatively affected forcing them to put up makeshift structures from the iron sheet remains of the demolished church.
Mr Mutale, however, said the Lusaka City council was not part of the demolition exercise but believed that another named Church obtained a High court order and went ahead at night to demolish the Church building without giving notice to the affected church.
The councilor said despite summoning the Church behind the demolition, it has not yet availed itself to his office.
“I went to the site when it happened. The Apostolic Church gave me their side of the story. The church claims they have documentations to prove that it owned the land while the other church also claims they have the papers but I have not met the other members because they did not show up when I called them. Iam trying to seek audience with both of them.
“The Council was the other part of this exercise but I was told that the other church obtained a court order but I have not yet seen the order. And I understand they went there at night with a bull dozer so everything in the classrooms was destroyed.
‘If it was the council they would have given them notice. So we are trying to find out who they hired to demolish and why they did it at night,“ he said.
Mr Mutale has since appealed to well-wishers to come to the aid of the affected pupils especially those who are in examination classes.