Mandatory vaccination ‘violates human dignity’
A group of protesters has accused the government of behaving like a dictatorship by ordering mandatory vaccination of soldiers.
ESTER KAMATI
WINDHOEK
Protestors against mandatory Covid-19 vaccinations marched from Katutura to the Zoo Park in the Windhoek city centre on Thursday.
They demanded that the government stop mandatory vaccinations of workers in both the public and private sectors.
“As per the Namibian constitution, our human dignity is violated which is now evident that our constitution is not honoured,” they stated in a petition.
They argued that mandatory vaccination is a violation of their bodily autonomy and their fundamental human rights.
The petition, which was handed over to health ministry executive director Ben Nangombe, was addressed to the head of state and demanded a response by 26 October.
Group spokesperson Reinhold Shipwiikineni said 3 000 signatures had been gathered within 72 hours.
“These signatures mean that the nation is not interested in the so called-mandatory vaccination,” he said.
He also warned employers not to fire unvaccinated employees.
“We are warning them. They should not dismiss workers due to their vaccination status.”
Despite scientific evidence to the contrary, Shipwiikineni claimed that vaccination did not prevent disease transmission.
“It doesn’t make sense to say the vaccine is the solution to prevent Covid-19,” he said, adding that some vaccines rejected in other countries were being administered in Namibia.
“It seems like our country became a dumping site,” he charged.
‘Dictatorship’
Shipwiikineni accused the government of behaving like a dictatorship by ordering mandatory vaccination of soldiers.
“Stop the mandatory vaccination of military personnel as this will bring chaos in terms of human dignity violation, not limited to other ministries and other workplaces/private sectors.
“Failure to respond to our demand, we will proceed with further step include referendum recall of your presidency office and your autocratically and corrupted administration (sic),” stated the petition.
The petition further claimed that people are “losing their jobs daily” because of directives for mandatory vaccination.
Defence Act
The chief of defence, Martin Pinehas, issued an order on 29 September for all members of the Namibian Defence Force to be vaccinated against Covid-19.
He cited Section 81 of the Defence Act, which provides for mandatory vaccination of members of the defence force, as well as any auxiliary services, medical service or reserve force, against communicable or epidemic illness as may be determined by a prescribed authority.
[email protected]
WINDHOEK
Protestors against mandatory Covid-19 vaccinations marched from Katutura to the Zoo Park in the Windhoek city centre on Thursday.
They demanded that the government stop mandatory vaccinations of workers in both the public and private sectors.
“As per the Namibian constitution, our human dignity is violated which is now evident that our constitution is not honoured,” they stated in a petition.
They argued that mandatory vaccination is a violation of their bodily autonomy and their fundamental human rights.
The petition, which was handed over to health ministry executive director Ben Nangombe, was addressed to the head of state and demanded a response by 26 October.
Group spokesperson Reinhold Shipwiikineni said 3 000 signatures had been gathered within 72 hours.
“These signatures mean that the nation is not interested in the so called-mandatory vaccination,” he said.
He also warned employers not to fire unvaccinated employees.
“We are warning them. They should not dismiss workers due to their vaccination status.”
Despite scientific evidence to the contrary, Shipwiikineni claimed that vaccination did not prevent disease transmission.
“It doesn’t make sense to say the vaccine is the solution to prevent Covid-19,” he said, adding that some vaccines rejected in other countries were being administered in Namibia.
“It seems like our country became a dumping site,” he charged.
‘Dictatorship’
Shipwiikineni accused the government of behaving like a dictatorship by ordering mandatory vaccination of soldiers.
“Stop the mandatory vaccination of military personnel as this will bring chaos in terms of human dignity violation, not limited to other ministries and other workplaces/private sectors.
“Failure to respond to our demand, we will proceed with further step include referendum recall of your presidency office and your autocratically and corrupted administration (sic),” stated the petition.
The petition further claimed that people are “losing their jobs daily” because of directives for mandatory vaccination.
Defence Act
The chief of defence, Martin Pinehas, issued an order on 29 September for all members of the Namibian Defence Force to be vaccinated against Covid-19.
He cited Section 81 of the Defence Act, which provides for mandatory vaccination of members of the defence force, as well as any auxiliary services, medical service or reserve force, against communicable or epidemic illness as may be determined by a prescribed authority.
[email protected]
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