Abortion not the solution – Katenda

ILENI NANDJATO ONDANGWA Leader of the Reformed Evangelical Anglican Church of Namibia, Bishop Lukas Kaluwapa Katenda, says women he has counselled are haunted by abortions.“This is not because they were done illegally or were unsafe, but just because it cannot get out of their minds,” Katenda said, who is also a qualified midwifery nurse. He has counselled over 10 women who regret their abortions, and others who are struggling to conceive again after ending their pregnancies, the clergyman says. He quoted the Bible, saying: “People must render to Caesar what belongs Caesar and render to God what belongs to God.” Trauma “People must bear in mind the trauma and other side effects that haunt those who terminate their pregnancies. Some are permanent and may follow them forever,” the church leader said. “Some people are claiming that once legalised, it will be safer for women to abort their pregnancies, however, this will only be safer physically, not safer emotionally. Later it comes [back] to haunt them,” he added. Katenda said young people support the call to legalise abortion not because it is a solution for unwanted pregnancies, but because they want to have unprotected sex. “People must just try to practice protected and safe sex to avoid unwanted pregnancies, and if things go wrong, they must just try to accept it and give birth instead of terminating their pregnancies and living lives of regret,” he said. Side-effects The church leader said, as a qualified nurse, he has learnt that people's bodies react differently to abortions, and that the side-effects are also different. “Some people can abort their pregnancies and it might cause disruptions in their hormones and they might not be able to conceive again, while some people can just abort and will not have any problem conceiving again. “This is the same with family planning programmes,” he said. 'Un-African, un-Christian' The call to legalise abortion is driven by “un-African and un-Christian feminism”, he said, and is luring women to throw away their babies.“I warn my fellow Christian pilgrims to know that this world is not our home. Keep your children and do not abort them. “Today, they tell you to throw away your kids and next they will call you to throw away your grandparents because they are old. “Be careful, because Caesar is looking for wealth and God is looking for souls,” he said. However, Katenda added that for those who fall pregnant as a result of rape, the law is clear.

Abortion not the solution – Katenda

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-15

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Abortion not the solution – Katenda

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Namibian Sun 2025-09-15

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