Churches shocked by leaders’ intolerance

SEVERAL churches that recently established a steering committee dealing with elections have expressed shock at the intolerance displayed by President Hifikepunye Pohamba and former President Sam Nujoma towards the opposition and some churches.

A statement issued by the chairperson of the Churches and Election committee, Dr Abisai Shejavali, said recent reports that Pohamba ‘condemned the establishment of emerging political ‘so-called’ oppositions’ was of concern to them.Pohamba was quoted as saying that such new opposition parties were nothing more than ‘tribalistic and family parties.’’Take your time and look at the list of leadership of these parties, 60 to 70 per cent of the leaders are from the same tribe,’ the President was quoted as saying.The committee reminded Pohamba that all citizens had the right to belong to the political party of their choice.Using the Electoral Act as a basis for their argument, the committee said the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) had the right to deny any party registration if it failed to comply with certain rules. ‘If any political party therefore has proof of any transgression of the law in this respect, that party is then free to approach the ECN or the courts for redress. It is hereby humbly submitted that it is unbecoming for any democratically elected Head of State to publicly vilify, demoralise and belittle any lawfully registered political party and at the same time incite mass gatherings and, via the media, call upon the entire country to condemn any opposition party without providing legal grounds for such condemnation,’ the statement said.It said utterances such as those reportedly expressed by Pohamba were in conflict with democratic statesmanship and contrary to his mandate to be the President of the entire Namibian nation, including members of opposition parties.The steering committee, appointed by the leaders of about 57 different churches, said they were ‘extremely concerned’ about Nujoma’s reported attacks on some churches, ‘which he accused of being false churches out to disturb peace and stability and misguide the people’.They referred Nujoma to Article 19 of the Namibian Constitution, which entitles everyone to practise any religion.’Unless the former President has tangible proof that certain churches are guilty of any offence in respect of the Constitution or any other Namibian laws, we appeal to him and every Namibian citizen to refrain from sweeping statements,’ the statement said.Nujoma reportedly singled out four church denominations to be the only true churches in Namibia, while at the same rejecting the authority of the Bible, which is the foundation of all Christian churches including the four churches Nujoma singled out. He also reportedly threatened criminals that their throats will be cut and that people who ‘try to remove’ the national flag must be buried alive.’With unhealed memories and wounds from the liberation struggle still fresh in many Namibian minds such utterances are uncalled for,’ the committee said.It said Nujoma has been honoured with the title ‘Father of the Nation’ and Namibians from all walks of life need to experience the kind of behaviour and fatherly language that promotes harmony, unity and mutual trust.