RUNDU – Struggle kids who are camping at the Rundu Swapo office say government should give them jobs like other children of the liberation struggle in other regions.
“We gave our names in 2008, and we used to camp at the Swapo office in 2015. We were told by our leaders to go back home and wait for jobs, and we have been waiting ever since 2015. Up to now, they have not said anything. We are tired of empty promises,” said Martha Kakuni, who spoke on behalf of the group camping at the Swapo regional office in Rundu since 31 August.
“All struggle kids from the Kavango East and Kavango West who received the cards are all camping here like how our counterparts used to camp in Windhoek and other regions. They haven’t done anything; all we are requesting for is that any little job opportunity that arises, we must also be considered,” Kakuni noted.
Kakuni further indicated they were registered by the Ministry of Sport, Youth and National Service in 2009 and were promised jobs in the public service, but this never materialised.
“We are not going back home until the government does something,’’ she said.
On the other hand, Namibian Exile Kids Association (NEKA) president Rauna Amutati has said it is difficult for ‘struggle kids’ to get jobs after the high court set aside a cabinet resolution in 2021, which granted them jobs without being subjected to the normal recruitment process.
Amutati said this in an interview with Nampa on Tuesday a group of close to 30 children of the liberation struggle – also known as ‘struggle kids’ – in the Kavango East region started camping at the Swapo regional office, demanding government jobs.
“We used to get special provisions for entry-level jobs, but after this matter was set aside for children of the liberation struggle not to be treated special, it has become difficult to get jobs, as many are also illiterate,” Amutati said.
According to the NEKA president, she has had meetings with various ministries and the Namibian Defence Force on their current recruitment, but the response from all these institutions is that children of the liberation struggle should follow the normal employment procedures like everyone else.
Amutati said Windhoek currently has three camps for children of the liberation struggle, as well as camps in the Oshana, Omusati and Zambezi regions.
She said the association is looking into coming up with projects that can sustain the children of the liberation struggle for the time being.
The management of the association is further planning to visit all camps, starting in September this year, to explain the scenario or predicament the association finds itself in.
Swapo regional coordinator Ottilie Shinduvi said she is aware the spokesperson of the group was employed at two different local shops and was fired, but she further said if it is government jobs they want, they should camp in front of government offices and not the Swapo office.
“I’m aware of a few who were also recruited in the Namibian Defence Force but were let go because of their attitude,” she said.
– Additional reporting by Nampa