THE Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia [Elcin] will continue with one bishop for the next three years after the church’s general synod held at Ongwediva on Tuesday, failed to elect a bishop for its western diocese.
The Elcin constitution dictates that in an event where the general synod fails to elect a bishop for one of its dioceses, an extraordinary synod should convene in three years to elect the bishop for the diocese that does not have a bishop.
The church is divided by the B1 main road into two diocese from Oshikango in the north to Noordoewer in the south with congregations on the eastern side of the road falling under the eastern diocese.
The church’s general synod elected former Paulinum Theology College rector Martin Ngodji, as bishop for the eastern diocese. Reverends Mateus Tsapaka TshaKapolo and Elcin general secretary Alpo Enkono who also contested for that position failed make the cut.
In the absence of the second bishop, Ngodji will also be the church’s presiding officer until 2025 when the extraordinary synod elects the bishop for western diocese, presiding bishop and new members of the church council.
After Tuesday’s elections, revered Gideon Niitenge who was elected diocesan moderator, now heads the western diocese. Niitenge failed to garner more than 50 votes to clinch the bishop position for western diocese. He instead received 43 votes, while fellow contestants reverends Eliakim Shaanika and Alpo Enkono got 15 and 18 votes respectively.
Enkono contested in both dioceses after he received nominations from both. According to retired bishop Apollos Kaulinge who was also elected moderator in 1992 before he became bishop in 1995, this is not the first time the church has had a diocesan moderator for one of its dioceses.
Kaulinge added that bishop Leonard Nangolo Auala was also elected as a moderator in 1960 before he was elected a substantive bishop in 1963.
He added that Auala’s successor Kleopas Dumeni became Elcin moderator in the early 1970s before he was elected as bishop in 1978.
According to Elcin information coordinator, reverend Tomas Uushona, Ngodji and Niitenge will be sworn in on 14 November at a venue to be announced.
