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The Council of Churches in Namibia (CCN) intends to launch a voter education and election monitoring project soon, as well as hold a national day of prayer.

The aim is to encourage peaceful participation and promote voter education among the citizens.

CCN leadership paid a courtesy call on President Nangolo Mbumba at State House to, among others, introduce themselves.

The CCN bases its decision to embark on a voter education and election monitoring project on social infrastructure, including human resources and self-organised structures.

These self-organised structures, such as the women's, youth's, and men's leagues and choirs, ensure a wider audience reach to roll out voter education and election monitoring activities.

The CCN says churches operate even in the most remote areas and have a membership of more than one million. 

Therefore, Reverand Heinz Mouton, the Chairperson of the CCN Executive, says the voter education and election monitoring project would be a contribution to strengthening democracy and good governance in Namibia.

"CCN wrote a letter to the ECN concerning this matter, and the ECN has responded positively to it. ECN is busy making arrangements regarding the date and time for the engagement with CCN, and CCN is requesting that the government provide it to be able to embark on the election monitoring project. As part of the role that the CCN will play in the elections, the CCN will organise a national day of prayer for the national elections and a meeting with the leaders of the political parties. CCN is requesting that the Office of the President help facilitate and collaborate with CCN to make this a success."

President Mbumba applauded CCN members for offering their facilities and personnel to assist in the national elections.

"So that means you are really taking up the responsibility as leaders of the churches and leaders of the communities to make sure that we make this election a success. There is nothing more than an election that ends up being nobody knows which is which. There must be a clear line; the greens are here, the pinks are there, the blues, and whatever. One group must be able to be in charge because you can't have all of you in charge. You can't be president; you are the one who claims to be president, and once you have such a situation, you must know you are in trouble."

Meanwhile, the church body is also concerned about youth unemployment in Namibia.

This, as it noted the rise of protest by young people in Kenya, known as Gen-Z for the past two weeks, over a myriad of issues.

The violent clashes have resulted in at least 39 people being killed and hundreds injured.

These are some of the matters that the clergy will further deliberate on during the Council of Church Leaders meeting next week.

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Civic centre

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Blanche Goreses