Churches geared for election observation

NAMIBIAN churches on Friday received a N$1,35 million boost as they gear up to serve as election observers in this month’s elections.

The financial support, provided by the German embassy in Namibia, will cover the costs of the 1 800 election observers delegated by the churches.The churches, with the support of the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, have already trained about 120 supervisors, who in turn will be training another 15 observers each. The observers will be present at polling stations across the country.Speaking at the signing of the agreement, German Ambassador Egon Kochanke said the support was part of his embassy’s wish to help ensure a transparent and credible democratic process.’We’re not saying that we are not trusting of what the Government is doing, but transparency is important,’ he said, highlighting the role that election observers play in democratic elections the world over.The agreement signed on Friday is between the embassy and three Namibian church partners – the Council of Churches in Namibia (represented by General Secretary Maria Kapere) and the Steering Committee: Churches and Elections in Namibia (represented by Chairperson Abisai Shejavali) as the facilitating agents, and the Dutch Reformed Church in Namibia (represented by the Church’s Financial Manager, Manie le Grange) as the financial administrator for the project.The three are working together under the slogan, ‘Churches United for a Free and Fair Election’, and will have a command centre set up in Windhoek with which the observers at polling stations will be able to communicate.Political hate speech and acts of intolerance reported since last year, particularly between the Swapo and RDP parties, whipped the churches into action.On March 31, over 50 church leaders from Protestant, Charismatic and Pentecostal churches came together in a historic move to sign the ‘Declaration of Church Leaders on the Elections in Namibia’, committing their churches to working towards a peaceful and democratic election process. This group of churches, some of whom also fall under the umbrella of the Council of Churches in Namibia, is represented by the Steering Committee: Churches and Elections in Namibia in the agreement with the German embassy.CCN General Secretary Maria Kapere said the mere presence of church leaders at the polling stations would help to create a more tolerant atmosphere.’Having a pastor around who is known (by the community) will have an impact on the environment, mood and emotions of those coming to vote,’ she said.- nangula@namibian.com.na