05 Jul 2018

Government continues to look up to the church to provide spiritual guidance in state affairs, President Mokgweetsi Masisi has said.

Speaking to spiritual leaders who paid a courtesy call on him on July 5, President Masisi said churches contributed to harmonising the nation, government and its institutions.

“The church has been a key factor in promoting peace and prosperity in our nation.

I acknowledge that there might be an oversight with regards to the role played by the church, but we take note of the churches’ quest to transform in order to remain relevant,” he said.

That, he said, was against the backdrop that different churches had collaborated on issues of national interest through the Botswana Networking Christian Community (BONECO).

The president promised BONECO members that he would discuss some of the issues they raised with cabinet.

President Masisi said while government remained committed to upholding the rights of freedom to worship, it was important to put in place measures that would regulate church splitting and rituals performed in public spaces and waters.

He said it was important that spiritual leaders played a role in protecting the public against falling prey to rituals that sometimes claimed lives.

President Masisi further called religious leaders to strengthen their role in curbing social ills and ensure that the church’s voice remained strident on issues pertaining to common nuisance, rape and murder among others.

BONECO leader Pastor Tebogo Motlhagodi explained that the organisation was established as the umbrella body for the Botswana Council of Churches (BCC), Organisation of Africa Instituted Churches (OAIC) and Evangelical Fellowship of Botswana to collaborate and speak with one voice on issues of national interest and nation building.

On the courtesy call, he said the aim was to congratulate President Masisi on his ascension to the highest office in the land and to appreciate his roadmap.

He implored President Masisi to consider the church relevant and instrumental in nation building and appreciate its participation in the country’s democratic dispensation.

In addition, he asked government to consider allowing church participation in policy initiatives and its representation in the compilation of the state-of-the-nation address and other fora.

For his part, Pastor Gabriel Tsuaneng said the church was concerned about the little role it played in education, especially religious education.

He said the church should remain instrumental in molding children from a young age, particularly at primary level.

Pastor Tsuaneng said historically the church acted as an advisory and oversight body in fostering integration of biblical concepts in mission schools, something he said should be resuscitated.

Another BONECO member, Pastor Jobe Koosimile, asked government to consider creating a national chaplaincy office to give spiritual guidance in public institutions.

He also requested that church representatives be included in election observer missions and be represented at the High Level Consultative Council. ENDS