Lekganyane opens up doors for disgruntled zcc members

  • Local branches scheduled to meet with Lekganyane next month
  • Lekganyane feared threats of being summoned to court – claims
  • ZCC ban Nkedi institution

LETLHOGILE MPUANG

Zion Christian Church (ZCC) leader Bishop Barnabas Lekganyane has taken a decision to invite all disgruntled local branches to the church’s headquarters next month, with the view to settle their grievances.
The church in Botswana has been rocked by divisions and infighting since Lekganyane sought to merge local branches. The Consensus Building & Mediation Team (CBMT), which was tasked with the mandate to implement the merger, has been rebuffed by several branches and the matter was dragged before the High Court. Local members have in addition attributed blame for the fall out to the church’s leadership, accusing them of failing to intervene and mediate between the warring factions.
In his attempt to calm the storm, Bishop Lekganyane has requested the involved parties to come to Moria next month for peace/mediation talks. Several members who preferred anonymity informed The Botswana Gazette last week. “ The Bishop’s secretary called us last month (June), and informed us that there will be a meeting next month in Moria,” said the source. “The invitation is for us to go to Moria and share some of our concerns with him (Bishop Lekganyane) and also find ways of how best we can resolve these disputes.”
The source revealed that the Bishop was forced to intervene when he was informed that disgruntled members were considering approaching Court after several attempts to engage him had failed. He was forced to act, we believe that someone must have told him that we were in the process of registering yet another case with the courts. “This time we were actually going to summon him, the Bishop himself, for failing to take action in this matter despite the numerous attempts to engage him,” said the ZCC member
“Top of our concerns list is that we want; the CBMT to be dissolved and relieved off its mandate, we do not recognize it and we do not have such a body within the church structures. We want our branches to be recognized by Moria. We are also concerned by the constant denied entry into Moria that has been happening, we wish for all this to stop,” said another member.
The members also want the Kganya Insurance Scheme, which is an underwritten by the Botswana Life, reinstated back in their branches.
CBMT leader Lewis Malikongwa declined to comment on the matter in saying, “I do not discuss issues of the church with media.”
Meanwhile, ZCC leadership have banned the Nkedi institution from all churches. In the letter dated 19 June 2018, Bishop Lekganyane warns all ZCC members to cease from bringing Nkedi dress codes to churches. He says members found attired in Nkedi dresses will be called for disciplinary action in Moria