‘We won’t vote till govt clarifies LGBTQ stance’
Pastor prays against ‘evil spirits’ engulfing the nation
Anti-gay activists are threatening to stay away from the voting booth if government continues to dilly-dally on homosexuality and same-sex marriages.
Only a handful of people attended Saturday's national 'mass prayer' against homosexuality and same-sex marriages at Oshakati's Independence Stadium, threatening to boycott the November polls if government fails to pronounce itself on the matter before the elections.
It has been a year since the National Assembly passed the private member’s bills introduced by Swapo lawmaker Jerry Ekandjo to define the term spouse and amend the Marriage Act of 1961.
Ekandjo sought to challenge a landmark Supreme Court ruling that ordered the ministry of home affairs to recognise same-sex marriages validly concluded abroad.
According to the bills, described as ‘draconian’ by critics, anyone found advocating for or propagating same-sex marriages could face a fine of up to N$100 000.
The president has not yet assented to the bills, but last week, home affairs minister Albert Kawana tabled an amendment bill in the National Assembly that seeks to replace the current Marriage Act 25 of 1961.
The bill specifies that spouses may only be of the opposite sex, rendering same-sex marriages illegal in the country, irrespective of where they were solemnised.
On Friday, representatives of the LGBTQI community delivered a petition calling on President Nangolo Mbumba to veto what they described as “the draconian and unconstitutional anti-LGBTQI+ bill.”
Tiny gathering
In Oshakati, the planned anti-gay mass prayer event failed to attract a significant amount of people and was rescheduled to take place at a different venue in Ondangwa next weekend.
The event was spearheaded by a group calling itself 'Stop Homosexuality and Same-Sex Marriages in Namibia'.
The individuals who were present refused to comment on the record but insisted that government should provide a clear stance on the matter and that failure to do so would force them to abstain from participating in the November elections.
“We cannot go to the polls without knowing government's position on the matter. November is just around the corner. We need to know so we can make informed choices when we vote,” an attendee said.
At the event, pastors prayed against the “evil spirits which have encompassed the nation."
Pendapala Nakathingo, one of the organisers of the event, told Namibian Sun yesterday that they will host a similar event in Ondangwa this coming weekend.
He confirmed that, apart from the event in Oshakati, a similar one was held at the Katutura Youth Centre in Windhoek on Saturday. Namibian Sun understands that another event took place in Omafo in the Ohangwena Region.
Media role
Organisers of the series of anti-gay prayer events include Prophet Blessing Shatipamba and Pastor Emeritus Laban Mwashekele.
Nakathingo said the situation in Namibia is "worrisome" and claimed the nation is "in jeopardy."
"This is the reality. This (homosexuality) has divided the nation. If we are not very careful, especially the media, the country will turn for the worst,” he said.
Nakathingo alleged that some media houses have been paid not to report on homosexuality.
“If they have not received physical money, they have received instructions and directives. We are aware of these things. For those of you still reporting about it and trying to be objective, do not give up. Try by all means to assist the Namibian nation and give information that will assist them to better understand issues,” he said.
Swapo’s stance clear
Prominent lawyer Sisa Namandje, a member of the Swapo central committee and politburo, said on Saturday that the ruling party’s position is clear and they support the government’s position that sodomy must remain a crime and same-sex marriages are not in accordance with the country’s law.
Speaking at the Swapo Party School in Windhoek, where he delivered an academic paper titled 'A critical look at the recent judgment of the High Court of Namibia on the crime of sodomy,' Namandje said since independence, Swapo has respected traditional family values.
“Go and look at it. If we announced this debate in 1989 and Swapo said we will be promoting same-sex marriages, I can tell you the Swapo combatants, some of them, would have wanted to go back [to war]. This is not what we fought for. Swapo had policies, and they were against same-sex marriages,” he said.
It has been a year since the National Assembly passed the private member’s bills introduced by Swapo lawmaker Jerry Ekandjo to define the term spouse and amend the Marriage Act of 1961.
Ekandjo sought to challenge a landmark Supreme Court ruling that ordered the ministry of home affairs to recognise same-sex marriages validly concluded abroad.
According to the bills, described as ‘draconian’ by critics, anyone found advocating for or propagating same-sex marriages could face a fine of up to N$100 000.
The president has not yet assented to the bills, but last week, home affairs minister Albert Kawana tabled an amendment bill in the National Assembly that seeks to replace the current Marriage Act 25 of 1961.
The bill specifies that spouses may only be of the opposite sex, rendering same-sex marriages illegal in the country, irrespective of where they were solemnised.
On Friday, representatives of the LGBTQI community delivered a petition calling on President Nangolo Mbumba to veto what they described as “the draconian and unconstitutional anti-LGBTQI+ bill.”
Tiny gathering
In Oshakati, the planned anti-gay mass prayer event failed to attract a significant amount of people and was rescheduled to take place at a different venue in Ondangwa next weekend.
The event was spearheaded by a group calling itself 'Stop Homosexuality and Same-Sex Marriages in Namibia'.
The individuals who were present refused to comment on the record but insisted that government should provide a clear stance on the matter and that failure to do so would force them to abstain from participating in the November elections.
“We cannot go to the polls without knowing government's position on the matter. November is just around the corner. We need to know so we can make informed choices when we vote,” an attendee said.
At the event, pastors prayed against the “evil spirits which have encompassed the nation."
Pendapala Nakathingo, one of the organisers of the event, told Namibian Sun yesterday that they will host a similar event in Ondangwa this coming weekend.
He confirmed that, apart from the event in Oshakati, a similar one was held at the Katutura Youth Centre in Windhoek on Saturday. Namibian Sun understands that another event took place in Omafo in the Ohangwena Region.
Media role
Organisers of the series of anti-gay prayer events include Prophet Blessing Shatipamba and Pastor Emeritus Laban Mwashekele.
Nakathingo said the situation in Namibia is "worrisome" and claimed the nation is "in jeopardy."
"This is the reality. This (homosexuality) has divided the nation. If we are not very careful, especially the media, the country will turn for the worst,” he said.
Nakathingo alleged that some media houses have been paid not to report on homosexuality.
“If they have not received physical money, they have received instructions and directives. We are aware of these things. For those of you still reporting about it and trying to be objective, do not give up. Try by all means to assist the Namibian nation and give information that will assist them to better understand issues,” he said.
Swapo’s stance clear
Prominent lawyer Sisa Namandje, a member of the Swapo central committee and politburo, said on Saturday that the ruling party’s position is clear and they support the government’s position that sodomy must remain a crime and same-sex marriages are not in accordance with the country’s law.
Speaking at the Swapo Party School in Windhoek, where he delivered an academic paper titled 'A critical look at the recent judgment of the High Court of Namibia on the crime of sodomy,' Namandje said since independence, Swapo has respected traditional family values.
“Go and look at it. If we announced this debate in 1989 and Swapo said we will be promoting same-sex marriages, I can tell you the Swapo combatants, some of them, would have wanted to go back [to war]. This is not what we fought for. Swapo had policies, and they were against same-sex marriages,” he said.
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