Don’t idolise leaders, Bishop Kameeta warns

IGNORANCE, blind loyalty and divine worship of elected leaders have no place in a democracy and are an abomination in a young democracy like Namibia’s, Bishop Zephania Kameeta of the Evangelical Lutheran Church warned on Friday.

Delivering the keynote address at the launch of the revised ‘Guide to Namibian Politics’, Kameeta warned that ignorance of what elected leaders were up to was a fertile breeding ground for autocracy. “Ignorant people do not ask questions, even if their rights are being violated,” he told an audience of civil society leaders, diplomats and politicians at a Windhoek hotel.”There cannot be a democracy in a social environment in which ignorance is the order of the day,” Kameeta said.Constant education and participation by citizens were indispensable ingredients in bringing about justice, peace and equal development.The revised ‘Guide to Namibian Politics’ was therefore an indispensable tool in dispelling ignorance from civil society, the church leader stressed.Democracy was not something that should be practised during elections only, he further urged.Citizens’ views, no matter who they were, had to be accommodated in the shaping of laws in the spirit of tolerance and humility.”This is not democracy at all if their voice is ridiculed and swept aside,” he cautioned.Kameeta also warned that no development or prosperity was possible in an atmosphere of mistrust, disunity, fear and animosity.”Little internal squabbles and quarrels” were threatening peace and development, he warned.”We cannot allow our present and the future of our country and our children to be sacrificed on the altar of this nonsense,” he said.There appeared to be a “grave misunderstanding” that leaders, once elected, changed from human beings into superhumans, he stated.This self-acclaimed divinity did not benefit anyone and only led to the discrediting and downfall of such leaders, he warned.Great leaders were those who did not change their attitudes towards others once elected, he said.”Blind loyalty and divine worship of elected leaders have no place in a democracy and is an abomination!” he stated to loud cheers from his audience.* John Grobler is a freelance journalist; 081 240 1587″Ignorant people do not ask questions, even if their rights are being violated,” he told an audience of civil society leaders, diplomats and politicians at a Windhoek hotel.”There cannot be a democracy in a social environment in which ignorance is the order of the day,” Kameeta said.Constant education and participation by citizens were indispensable ingredients in bringing about justice, peace and equal development.The revised ‘Guide to Namibian Politics’ was therefore an indispensable tool in dispelling ignorance from civil society, the church leader stressed.Democracy was not something that should be practised during elections only, he further urged.Citizens’ views, no matter who they were, had to be accommodated in the shaping of laws in the spirit of tolerance and humility.”This is not democracy at all if their voice is ridiculed and swept aside,” he cautioned.Kameeta also warned that no development or prosperity was possible in an atmosphere of mistrust, disunity, fear and animosity.”Little internal squabbles and quarrels” were threatening peace and development, he warned.”We cannot allow our present and the future of our country and our children to be sacrificed on the altar of this nonsense,” he said.There appeared to be a “grave misunderstanding” that leaders, once elected, changed from human beings into superhumans, he stated.This self-acclaimed divinity did not benefit anyone and only led to the discrediting and downfall of such leaders, he warned.Great leaders were those who did not change their attitudes towards others once elected, he said.”Blind loyalty and divine worship of elected leaders have no place in a democracy and is an abomination!” he stated to loud cheers from his audience.* John Grobler is a freelance journalist; 081 240 1587