EVANGELICAL Lutheran Church in Namibia (Elcin) pastor Joseph Shikuma said the church’s synod, which seconded revered Hilya Nghaangulwa to lead its eastern diocese and appointed Gideon Niitenge as the church’s moderator, was a “kangaroo synod” which violated the church’s constitution.
The synod took place at the end of last month at the Ongwediva Elcin Centre.
Shikuma is a former Elcin dean for the Ongwediva deanery, and he now heads the Elcin Ekeke parish.
In a lengthy WhatsApp message allegedly posted on the Elcin pastors’ WhatsApp group on Monday, Shikuma said the synod former bishops, Shekutaamba Nambala and Veikko Munyika, betrayed members of the church who attended the synod.
Shikuma confirmed to The Namibian yesterday that those were his official comments about the synod.
“[On Sunday] at Nakayale, we were fortunate enough to get some tips of the outcomes of the controversial synod from the outgoing presiding bishop [Nambala], admitting that as chairperson of the synod he was overruled, ambushed and hijacked not to proceed any more with the election of the church top leaders as per the constitution with the two eligible candidates, by the synod members,” Shikuma wrote.
He said if the outgoing bishops were overruled by the members of the synod, it means there was no rule of law there, and members who were entrusted to represent the masses betrayed the chairperson and church members.
“They violated the rights and privileges of the constitution and compromised the church leadership and Elcin for the next three years ahead or more.
“In addition it was a grossly unacceptable decision and negligence. Similar to a pilot or captain, you can’t allow your passengers to control you or manage you instead of [you] managing them. Instead you govern and educate them with the rule of law and the Elcin constitution,” he added.
Shikuma said the western diocese is the only Elcin diocese with legitimate leadership.
Meanwhile, Niitenge was installed as Elcin moderator at Nakayale on Saturday.
Shikuma said that Nghaangulwa had been illegally elected to head the eastern diocese, as she was not one of the candidates who contested for the position of bishop of the eastern diocese at the church’s synod on 17 August.
Niitenge refused to comment on the matter, saying he would only comment when at his office at Nakayale.
