Paheja Siririka
WINDHOEK – The My Namibia song SMS competition was launched at the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) headquarters in Windhoek yesterday.
“You may recall that during our 29th independence anniversary held in the Khomas Region, we had two songs that embraced unity and patriotism choreographed and performed by various local artists,” said Stanley Simataa, the Minister of Information and Communication Technology.
The ministry, as the custodian of the national pride campaign, in partnership with the Ministry of Education, Arts and Culture, was tasked by the government to spearhead, coordinate and organise a competition for a national song titled My Namibia.
“This is a song which is less formal, a song which is jovial, a song that will invoke patriotism,” said minister Simataa.
He further said the song is one that will instill national pride in Namibians.
The competing songs were put in the public domain yesterday, to allow fanatics to decide, through voting, on their preferred choice of song that they best resonate with.
“For one to participate in the competition, they must SMS their preferred song, for example, S01/S02 to 33033,” explained Simataa yesterday.
The public is urged to vote as many times as they can to stand a chance of winning one of the five regional air tickets, courtesy of Air Namibia.
The minister said the competition would run from yesterday, June 11th to July 2, 2019.
“During this period, the songs will be placed on all NBC platforms, TV, radio, Fresh FM, Omulunga Radio, Radio Energy, 99 FM and of course One Africa TV,” highlighted Simataa.
The songs will also be accessible on all social media platforms. The minister used the opportunity to urge Namibians to use social media constructively, to build and unite but not to dismember and disintegrate the Namibian nation.
He further said the winning song will be declared as such and will be complementing the national anthem.
“It can’t compete with the national anthem, the national anthem is supreme, therefore it will complement it,” he said.
Education minister Katrina Hanse-Himarwa said the artists were understanding to venture into this project.
“We need to appreciate art in Namibia, art is work, it is a commodity,” said Hanse-Himarwa.
Artist that are part of these competing songs include Female Donkey, Bertholdt, Desmond, Anne Singer, DJ Arrafat, Lady May Africa and many others.