WINDHOEK – Three women whose children were sired by Kenyan men during Namibia’s transition to independence have approached the Kenyan High Commission in search of the fathers of their children.
A large number of Namibian children were born from relations involving Namibian women and UNTAG (United Nations Transitional Assistance Group) peacekeepers, as well as other foreign visitors, who came to Namibia to help supervise and witness the country’s first independence elections in 1989 following bitter years of war.
The three women join the saga of Namibia’s Big Brother winner Dillish Matthews who was reunited on Monday at a private reunion with her father, a former UNTAG peacekeeper, Abdi Galgayo Guyo, who flew to Namibia from Kenya to meet his long lost offspring.
Speaking to New Era, the High Commissioner of Kenya to Namibia Peter Gitau confirmed that two of the Kenyan fathers were also UNTAG peacekeeping soldiers while the third is thought to be a journalist.
According to Gitau, Dillish who celebrated her 23rd birthday during a glitzy black and white party at the Kenyan High Commission had guests teary-eyed as she took to the dance floor with her biological father.
Gitau further advised young girls against promiscuity explaining that Africa is burdened with masses of orphans and illegitimate children – because Africans no longer respect and adhere to their cultural values, according to him.
“We (Africans) believed that western lives were a model but they (westerners) are lonely people. Our cultural principals taught us that a child is everyone’s child, we therefore never had children roaming the streets searching for father and mother figures during the times when traditions were respected. In Africa our insurance was family and not material wealth, but it has changed and that is why our lives changed as well,” he responded to the situation of African fathers siring children and leaving lonely mothers to take care of the children.
Talking of Dillish he said: “I think her upbringing was admirable and she is so respectful,” adding that he was impressed with how she did the rounds after the birthday party to thank every guest individually for coming.
He believes Dillish needed to meet her father because it was clear she was yearning for him.
“I have really reflected on parenthood since I sent word home that Dillish’s father is Kenyan. One could see even during Big Brother that she really wanted to meet her father, and it is sad that children must go through lives like this – not knowing their fathers. For Dillish to be looking for her father at this age when she basically needs nothing more is an indication that paternity is an inbuilt puzzle and children would continue searching for answers until they meet their father,” he sighed.
Gitau received a fax of a newspaper article that highlighted Dillish’s search for her father while he was in northern Namibia attending the Olufuko festival. Upon discovery that the man in question is Kenyan, Gitau informed his country and Abdi Galgayo Guyo was soon located and notified.
By Jemima Beukes