EDITORIAL: Namibia is not a ‘Christian nation’
In his tweeted Easter message on Thursday, President Nangolo Mbumba labelled Namibia a ‘Christian nation’, contrary to the constitutional stipulation that our country does not officially align with any particular faith.
According to Article 1(1) of the Constitution, Namibia is a secular state, which implies that although 90% of Namibians identify as Christians, the state and organised religion are entirely distinct from one another.
The pronouncement of the president – or his social media team – was therefore against the ethos of unity as enshrined in the very constitution that he swore to uphold on 4 February when he took office.
Wishing Namibians a happy Easter was welcome. In fact, the accompanying message, where he urged citizens to ‘'steer clear of any conduct that is hurtful towards the interests of other Namibians', was critical. Ironically, though, Mbumba's declaration of Namibia as a partisan religious state may have caused harm to non-Christian individuals.
A secular state prohibits religious discrimination and provides for freedom of thought, conscience and belief. On the day, Namibia was snatched away from non-Christians and placed on the laps of one group only.
What progressive leaders do is send out their well wishes to all followers of different denominations on the day of their various celebrations. What the Namibian government has promoted for years is a tyranny of the majority. Our national calendar, which is littered with Christian holidays and none from other religions, is proof of this tyranny.
According to Article 1(1) of the Constitution, Namibia is a secular state, which implies that although 90% of Namibians identify as Christians, the state and organised religion are entirely distinct from one another.
The pronouncement of the president – or his social media team – was therefore against the ethos of unity as enshrined in the very constitution that he swore to uphold on 4 February when he took office.
Wishing Namibians a happy Easter was welcome. In fact, the accompanying message, where he urged citizens to ‘'steer clear of any conduct that is hurtful towards the interests of other Namibians', was critical. Ironically, though, Mbumba's declaration of Namibia as a partisan religious state may have caused harm to non-Christian individuals.
A secular state prohibits religious discrimination and provides for freedom of thought, conscience and belief. On the day, Namibia was snatched away from non-Christians and placed on the laps of one group only.
What progressive leaders do is send out their well wishes to all followers of different denominations on the day of their various celebrations. What the Namibian government has promoted for years is a tyranny of the majority. Our national calendar, which is littered with Christian holidays and none from other religions, is proof of this tyranny.
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Namibian Sun
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