President Hage Geingob has lauded the “stellar” contribution made during the struggle for independence by Bishop Emeritus Hendrick Frederick, who passed away on Saturday.

Frederick, who was the third preses and the first bishop of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia (ELCRN), died in Keetmanshoop at the age 80. 

In his message of condolences to the family yesterday, Geingob said the passing of Frederick is a painful loss to the country, Swapo and the ecumenical community of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in the Republic of Namibia (ELCRN).

He said the late Frederick will be remembered as a respected clergyman and freedom fighter who contributed immensely to the spiritual and social wellbeing of the Namibian people. 

“By mobilising the Namibian people to oppose the colonial apartheid regime, he was one of the brave church leaders who unequivocally called for an end to apartheid injustice and human rights violations perpetrated by the colonial regime in our country,” Geingob stated.

“On behalf of the people and Government of the Republic of Namibia, I extend sincere condolences to the children and the entire bereaved family,” Geingob added.

Frederick’s theological formation started in the mid-1950s at the Karibib Paulinum Seminary as an evangelist, and in the early 1960s at Paulinum Otjimbingwe as pastor. He also attended the Umpumulo Theological Seminary in Natal, South Africa.

He was ordained in 1967 at Keetmanshoop together with late Dean August Matthys. He served on many ecumenical bodies such as the Lutheran World Federation, World Council of Churches (WCC), United Evangelical Mission (UEM) and Lutheran Communion in Southern Africa (LUCSA).