Rudolf Gaiseb
FARM NDILIMANI – The children of the liberation struggle remain firmly behind Swapo and its presidential candidate, ahead of next week’s national elections.
According to the struggle kids, their loyalty to Swapo transcends the unfulfilled promises they have endured in recent years.
New Era yesterday visited Farm Ndilimani in Brakwater, Windhoek where the struggle kids stay and spoke with some of them.
“We are going to vote for Swapo because it’s our home party, but when we are voting for Swapo, this time we want to see tangible improvements,” 38-year-old Vaino Nakale stated. Most of those living at the Swapo-owned farm, were born in exile in neighbouring Angola and Zambia, while others were born overseas. After a dispute broke out in 2015 during their residence at the Swapo headquarters, the group was resettled at the farm.
They were relocated to the farm under the directive of President Nangolo Mbumba, during his tenure as Swapo secretary general.
They were allegedly promised government jobs as the private sector rejected them.
“When we went to firms to look for work, we are turned away since our identification cards indicate that we were born in other countries, and company owners say, ‘Go back to your government, who promised you jobs; we do not have jobs for you’,” Nakale lamented.
Another liberation struggle child, Ester Nghikefelwa (39) hopes for a better future for her children.
“After the elections, we expect the government to provide us with jobs and better housing with electricity and water where we can safely raise our children. Even though we made this place our home, this is not home; it is a camp. We were just brought here on a temporary basis, but the government has failed to give us the jobs they promised us,” Nakale said. The camp, set upon a mountain site, has a school that caters for school-going children.
There are over 10 children at the camp. “Survival is difficult. Some are fortunate to have parents who send them food. And we must share that little food among the entire camp residents,” 38-year-old Liiza Shityeni said. “We registered and will vote for our president from Swapo Party. We ask her already, and we still will ask her again to see us through by providing us jobs,” she noted.
They are adamant to stay at the farm until those promises are fulfilled. The struggle kids are looking forward to the keynote address by the Swapo vice president and presidential candidate, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwa, during the Namibian Exile Kids Association’s (Neka’s) second central committee meeting today.
“My expectation for the next government is for them to fulfil the promises they make. Not like the last nine years of failed promises. We do not want failure anymore,” 47-year-old Nyfeno Benhard said. He highlighted the long time they wasted waiting for these promises, until he got married at the camp.
According to the residents, those who remain at the camp have turned it into a home characterized by challenging and unhygienic environment.Some have started small gardens to grow vegetables such as spinach for food and for sale to locals. Others sell small stuff like sausages and sweets at the camp and by traffic lights in the city to sustain themselves and their families.
Additionally, they also complained about walking long distances to Windhoek to access basic services, including medical care. The City of Windhoek installed water, which helps with crop production, washing, and drinking; however, the camp does not have electricity. Three couples have attested to finding love and getting married at the camp.
-rrgaisebgmail.com