Speaking after the Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Information, Publicity and Broadcasting Services Minister Monica Mutsvangwa said churches can now exceed 100 people if congregants are vaccinated.
Mutsvangwa said churches taking into account their size, can now move from 100 people per service to half their capacity if congregants are fully vaccinated. She however said other social gatherings such as weddings and funerals are still limited to 100 people since it is difficult to enforce the need for vaccination at such events.
She said:
Cabinet discussed the request by churches for a review of the number of congregants allowed in church services to at least a third, taking into account the size of the church. While all other gatherings shall not exceed 100 persons, with regards to churches, Cabinet has resolved that only vaccinated congregants can attend and should be limited to 50 percent of the holding capacity of the church.
Cabinet’s decision follows a High Court ruling by judge Justice David Mangota last Friday that ruled against a decision barring unvaccinated congregants from physically attending church services. Mangota said the ban on unvaccinated congregants violated citizens’ constitutional rights and freedom set out in the declaration of rights.