Africa-Press – Namibia. POLICE CHIEF SEBASTIAN Ndeitunga’s move to dispatch his senior commanders to tackle ‘fake churches’ in northern Namibia should be viewed with some scepticism.
Last week, Ndeitunga apparently had enough because the so-called fake churches have caused a drop in the productivity of police officers.
“Dockets are missing, there are no inspections, vehicles are dirty and driven all over, and there is no control. Why? Because commanders have become bishops and pastors,” Ndeitunga said in the Ohangwena region.
He has instructed the police to identify officers who are part of the problematic churches and warned that they would be fired.
The inspector general of the Namibian Police is never shy to single out an issue he believes is problematic – no matter what the law dictates.
He has threatened to arrest women who wear miniskirts. In 2021, he went as far as ordering the police to not issue fines or arrest government employees driving state vehicles that do not comply with licence regulations.
He also threatened to take control of the Windhoek City Council last year, arguing that the elected officials were failing to do their work.
With about six months left before he retires, Ndeitunga seemingly wants to tackle what may well be his last throw of the dice – taking on ‘false prophets’ or ‘fake churches’ and their faithless promises.
How he plans to succeed only he knows.
The police will first have to get past the Namibian Constitution to determine which churches to target. The supreme law guarantees freedom of religion and worship.
In the past, the revival or charismatic churches has ostensibly been the main target – despite no denomination being immune to using religion to milk congregants and followers.
Just where will the police start (and stop) when deciding which purported religious organisations and preachers to target in the absence of a crime being committed?
It may perhaps be easier for law-enforcement officers to go after preachers or self-anointed bishops and pastors who give their followers poisonous concoctions, or sell them fake goods, in cases that can be proved.
But how do the police plan to stop worshippers from “spending their salaries on those fake churches”, as Ndeitunga complains?
Ndeitunga has undoubtedly raised a point many people in Namibia have been worried about too.
There are far too many people willing to scam others in the name of religion, and prey on the gullible.
Sadly, there are also too many Namibians who fall for the false promises of spiritual and material prosperity.
The sooner Ndeitunga realises the problem is deeper than revival and other churches, the better for the country.
Politicians Shouldn’t Hunt for Glory Only
LAST WEEKEND, PRESIDENT Hage Geingob posted a photo of himself and former France and Arsenal striker, Thierry Henry, on social media. He even invited the World Cup winner to visit Namibia.
Geingob has always sold Namibia’s football abroad.
But may we ask: What will Henry come and do for our country and our sport that we cannot do ourselves?
Our football has been in stop-start mode for the past three years. Football players have been deprived of the opportunity to make a living. All the while, Geingob, who is the patron of football, has decided to be a mere spectator.
Poor leadership and misaligned priorities continue to kill so many dreams.
Sport infrastructure is in a debilitating state, while we have sport administrators who are perpetually at each other’s throats.
What has been worrying for the past three decades is athletes constantly struggling to prepare properly for big international events and having to scavenge for the crumbs that good Samaritans are prepared to dish out to them.
Yet, as soon as they hit the podium, politicians are the first in line for photo opportunities and claiming credit.
Namibian athletes deserve leadership at all levels that is there with them through thick and thin, and until they become world-class champions.
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