Monday, 6 September 2021

DIASPORA DISCOURSE:No Space For Unclean Vehicles Or Hefty Clean Air Charge




With Davison Muropa

September 06th, 2021

Churches are once again open and congregational worship is now back in vogue. Somewhat!

It so happens  here in Birmingham, a disheartening new dispensation towers ominously over Christendom ‘s desire to worship. 

Hitherto it has been the covid induced lockdowns. But now there is another equally treacherous trajectories to traverse. 

Whilst in Zimbabwe there is the government no-vac-no-enter charade dissuading vac-resistant Christians to go do and enjoy church, here in Birmingham there is a new City Council induced impediment somehow disturbing church-loving worshippers. 

It so happens  that Birmingham City recently introduced a clean air zone in the city centre, whereby “unclean” vehicles are not allowed or rather can enter but at a cost, a hefty clean air charge. 

Birmingham Salvation Army  Church is situated right in the middle of the CBD which means that unless one drives a new clean fossil fuel free hybrid or electric car, Sunday travel to church becomes a challenge or rather an expensive proposition. 

Although there are public buses, trains and trams, their Sunday services are limited and may not get you to the City centre in time for church. 

For the time being, electric or hybrid cars are still prohibitively pricy. The car Industry is working on newer technologies and mass production to reduce prices, but this will be probably take 5 to 10 years to happen.  

In the meantime then, one might decide kutombogara kumba and continue to do online church on zoom and Facebook podcasting and on TV.

(Davison Muropa is a Zimbabwean living in the UK where he works as an accountant. He is an expert musician and composes for Church choirs)

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