Universal Church is still welcome in Namibia – Official

NAMIBIA is not considering any actions against the Universal Church of the Kingdom of God (UCKG) in Namibia because it does not have any reason to do so, a Government official said.

Home Affairs spokesperson Kauku Hengari told The Namibian that the Ministry was not considering any restraining orders against any church organisation at all. The comment follows a recent decision by the Zambian government to ban the Universal Church in that country to pave the way for investigations into allegations against it, which resulted in widespread riots in the capital Luanda over the weekend.Media reports last week said that thousands of angry Zambians went on the rampage in Lusaka causing damage to property estimated to be in the millions of dollars, “stoning vehicles and baying for the blood of leaders of the church after word went around that two people had been kidnapped and were about to be sacrificed.”Said Hengari: “We have never received any complaints whatsoever from anyone about the activities of the Universal Church in Namibia.In fact, the Namibian Government does not go around shutting down churches.”We are a government doing our business guided by our Constitution, which strongly emphasises the freedom of our people towards their choice of religion.Hence, anyone is free to choose the church of his or her own choice.”He added that he expected the activities of the church in Windhoek’s Independence Avenue to continue as usual.The Head of the UCKG in the United Kingdom, Bishop Renato Cardoso, issued a statement last Thursday in which he denied any wrongdoing on the part of the church, adding that that the church was run strictly on Christian principles.”The accusation against us that we practise Satanism is false.The Universal Church is a wholly Christian church.This can be proved by our doctrine, which is based on the Holy Bible,” Cardoso said, adding that it was sad that people should act or make decisions and conclusions on unsubstantiated hearsay without proper investigation.The comment follows a recent decision by the Zambian government to ban the Universal Church in that country to pave the way for investigations into allegations against it, which resulted in widespread riots in the capital Luanda over the weekend.Media reports last week said that thousands of angry Zambians went on the rampage in Lusaka causing damage to property estimated to be in the millions of dollars, “stoning vehicles and baying for the blood of leaders of the church after word went around that two people had been kidnapped and were about to be sacrificed.”Said Hengari: “We have never received any complaints whatsoever from anyone about the activities of the Universal Church in Namibia.In fact, the Namibian Government does not go around shutting down churches.”We are a government doing our business guided by our Constitution, which strongly emphasises the freedom of our people towards their choice of religion.Hence, anyone is free to choose the church of his or her own choice.”He added that he expected the activities of the church in Windhoek’s Independence Avenue to continue as usual.The Head of the UCKG in the United Kingdom, Bishop Renato Cardoso, issued a statement last Thursday in which he denied any wrongdoing on the part of the church, adding that that the church was run strictly on Christian principles.”The accusation against us that we practise Satanism is false.The Universal Church is a wholly Christian church.This can be proved by our doctrine, which is based on the Holy Bible,” Cardoso said, adding that it was sad that people should act or make decisions and conclusions on unsubstantiated hearsay without proper investigation.