Selma Ikela
Windhoek-The Namibian Police Force yesterday blocked a march to State House by about 350 former South West Territorial Force (SWATF) and Koevoet soldiers at Katutura State Hospital at around 03h00.
The former soldiers sneaked out of their camp along Clemence Kapuuo Street early yesterday morning en route to State House to ask the President Hage Geingob why he has not sent his representatives to meet them.
The group that travelled mainly from Opuwo has been demanding to be recognised as war veterans – an honour that would see them receive a war veteran grant.
A letter dated 17 October 2017, signed by Minister of Presidential Affairs, Frans Kapofi, stated that President Geingob had assigned his deputy, Dr Nickey Iyambo, to meet the three Namvet representatives at a date and time to be confirmed.
This was after the former soldiers wanted to march to State House for a courtesy visit and to deliver a petition to Geingob.
“I was sleeping at home when I was informed. They sneaked out of the base, all of them. They are saying they lost trust in us (Namvet leaders) and government, saying one of us is not telling the truth about the meeting,” stated Namibian War Veterans Trust (Namvet) founder and chairperson, Jabulani Ndeunyema. Ndeunyema said they updated and briefed their members every Friday where they told them government had not responded regarding the meeting, which they were supposed to have.
He said while the president and his deputy was busy campaigning for the elective congress for SWAPO Party, they put the meeting on hold.
However, they expected the meeting to take place after congress but this has apparently not happened.
Ndeunyema said the former soldiers have a message for the President. They want to hear from him where the problem is. “How can they be in the Namibian house and have nothing to eat,” he stated.
Ndeunyema expects the government to get back at them before 10 January next year, the date they started camping at Commando in 2016.