ELCIN suspends female employee for adultery … As her married lover is treated with kid gloves

By Confidente Reporter

TENSIONS and emotions are high at the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Namibia’s (ELCIN) Western Diocesan Council in Outapi after management reportedly suspend­ed its financial assistant for falling preg­nant by a married pastor who is being treated with impunity.
Insiders on Monday said that the fi­nancial assistant (name withheld) aged 28 was suspended in July to give her time to “rectify her sin” while manage­ment continues to deliberate condi­tions for when she returns to her post. In deep contrast to the way she is being treated, the married pastor who was in­volved in the affair is being treated with kid gloves.
Sources further said that the finan­cial assistant was being discriminated against for being impregnated by a married man out of wedlock. “It is time the church considers changing its rules to align them with labour laws because what happened to this lady is not fair. Her livelihood is compromised while the one who impregnated her roams freely. Things cannot go on like this especially in a setup of a church that should be fair to everyone,” sources said.
Council minutes on the matter in Confidente’s possession show that the financial assistant in a letter revealed that she broke the seventh command­ment which states that “Thou shall not commit adultery”.
“The council read the letter by the employee (name withheld) in which she reveals that she broke the seventh commandment. In reading and ana­lysing the letter, the employee also re­vealed that she still has the will to con­tinue with her duties once she rectified her sin. At the moment she is on her annual leave starting July 4 until August 8,” the minutes read in part.
However, minutes further revealed that council management decided that once her leave days were over, the woman will be kept in isolation before fully commencing her duties early Feb­ruary next year once her sin has been forgiven. “Once her annual leave days are over, she will remain in isolation until she returns to her post starting February 1 2017 once she corrected her sins,” the minutes further read.
Sources also revealed that council management unconstitutionally sus­pended six employees for asking about the sacking of a pastor, Jesaya Anghu­wo. Anghuwo was reportedly targeted for questioning wrongdoing by seniors within the council, a move that eventu­ally led to his sacking and the six that questioned why he was sacked.
“All these issues have caused factions within the council. It is still not clear why Anghuwo was banished from the council? It’s even more confusing that they suspended six people who only enquired about why Pastor Anghuwo was fired,” sources said.
The council’s Bishop, Veikko Mun­yika when contacted for comment did not mince his words confirming the fi­nancial assistant was indeed suspended for falling pregnant out of wedlock. He said she can only return once her sin has been forgiven.
“She is on suspension for the preg­nancy out of wedlock. Her duties have been put on hold and she cannot report to work until she clears the problem. She wrote me a letter and in one of our conversations she mentioned who im­pregnated her … it is not the pastor as allegations have it. As per church rules, she had to step down from office until the issue is cleared. It was decided that she can only return to work once she delivers and is forgiven as per church rules. The issue is that she is not mar­ried so things cannot just continue,” Munyika said.
As for the suspension of Anghuwo, Munyika said that the former was investigated and found guilty of vari­ous crimes. “He tried to use the court and the labour court but it didn’t work. He cannot continue working for the church as Pastor after what he did.