ELCRN elects new bishop amid controversy

THE Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic Namibia (ELCRN) has a new bishop after an election process that was riddled with an unprecedented number of controversies.

The church’s 28th Ordinary Synod, which started on Sunday at Mariental and ended yesterday, announced on Wednesday that pastor Sageus /Keib had been elected as the new bishop after garnering the highest number of votes totalling 5 316 in a three-horse race. He will replace retiring bishop Ernst //Gamxamub, whose term of office ends on 3 November.

Outgoing deputy bishop Paul Hatani Kisting, who has served a second consecutive term in his position, scored the second-highest votes of 1 839, followed by ELCRN AIDS programme director, pastor Abraham //Kheibeb, who garnered 1 702 votes.

//Kheibeb, however, becomes /Keib’s deputy, although Kisting was the runner-up in the bishop contest since the church’s constitution prohibits Kisting from serving for a third consecutive term.

Congregants had cast a total of 8 901 votes during polls held in May this year to elect the church’s new leader.

Factional infighting between warring factions – one supporting Kisting and the other rallying behind /Keib – over the church’s top leadership positions had plagued the election. The synod voted against a last-minute motion to nullify the bishop election. The motion was tabled by Bianca Dax and Henry Jagger, who were regarded as Kisting’s supporters.

Another appeal from disgruntled members was to stop the process, contending that deputy bishop Kisting and dean Simon Petrus Tiboth were allowed to contest for the bishop’s post in violation of age requirements stipulated in the church’s constitution.

The duo were allegedly over-age, contrary to the church’s constitution prescribing that candidates should be between the ages of 45 and 60.

Two church members, Seth !Gaeb and Welfried !Naibab, had also taken the church to court to have the elections stopped, but they lost the case.

The factional battle between the rival camps escalated into a brawl at the ongoing high synod assembly on Sunday over an issue of illegitimate delegates attending the synod.

During the brawl, Kisting and his wife Naomi allegedly assaulted /Keib’s proponent, Mensia Ngunovandu-!Gaoses.

Kisting yesterday denied the claims, saying he would never assault a woman.

He said he only reprimanded her against making slanderous remarks against him on social media.

“Despite her barbaric and provocative behaviour during the synod assembly (on Sunday), I never lifted a finger on her,” he stated. Ngunovandu-!Gaoses could not be reached for comment yesterday.

//Gamxamub as outgoing leader of the church referred to controversies that surrounded the election process in his message at the synod, saying: “One of the humiliating places of warfare was social media, and in total irresponsible sinful use to break it down, to slaughter and kill, even whom I thought are members and for the record, good standing members of the church (sic)”.

“The vicious disrespect and slanderous language as well as attacks directed towards senior members of the church as well as the leadership at various levels of the church have reached alarming consequences,” he added.

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