By Staff Reporter
WINDHOEK – Former Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) spokesperson Job Amupanda has somewhat elevated himself to the club of Namibian leading writers – or so suggests his first published book Truth Is Truth.
Launched last week in Windhoek, the book is a black consciousness offing, premised on real-life observations of the challenges faced by black Namibians in their daily struggles.
The 27-year-old activist pulled a crowd of respectable proportions to the launch of his book – which included his SPYL colleagues, journalists, lawyers and religious leaders.
The packed-to-the-rafters National Arts Gallery witnessed what appears to be an emergence of a talented writer, whose work he says is based on nothing but the truth about the contemporary Namibian society.
Readings of some parts of the book kept those in attendance on the edges of their seats, attentively absorbing the content which gave a clear insight into the future of Amupanda the writer and activist.
The book castigates selfish black elites and reluctant whites, who according to the author are self-centred and bent on keeping critical national resources around themselves.
Limited access to land, snail-paced land reform and the monopolisation of strategic resources by a handful few are but some of the book’s highlights.
Amupanda also turned his unmitigated wrath on the church, which he accuses of having a hand in the suffering of black people.
He argues that some churches blame impoverished blacks for lacking faith, and that it was that lack of faith that landed the majority into poverty – supposedly as punishment from above.
He said the contemporary church is led by rich clergymen who own flashy cars, designer clothes and big houses in the country’s leafy suburbs.
Speaking at the launch, leading lawyer Sisa Namandje said Amupanda is protected by the country’s constitution to express himself as writer on matters of national concern.
“Freedom of expression is guaranteed in our constitution,” Namandje said.
New Era Publication Corporation (NEPC) managing editor Toivo Ndjebela, a guest speaker at the book launch, said the book arrives at a time when Namibia is battling a non-reading culture, especially among the youth.
“Amupanda has therefore released a book that speaks directly to Namibians and about things they experience in their lives on a daily basis.”
“Other leading Namibian academics and intellectuals must emulate this so that Namibians do not continue to rely on foreign publications that speak little to their daily struggles and aspirations,” Ndjebela said.