OSHAKATI – Deep fear and growing frustration over violent crime in Namibia have driven hundreds of learners, students, and youth activists in the country to take to the streets in solidarity with the grieving families of three children who were brutally murdered in Okahandja.
The Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture on Tuesday led a nationwide mass march against violence towards children across all regions of Namibia.
Accompanied by education officials and supported by the education directorate, the demonstrators in Oshana region marched from the Bank of Namibia’s regional offices to the Police headquarters in Oshakati on Tuesday morning, where they handed over a petition to the acting regional police commander, Deputy Commissioner Fredrick Ndjadila.
The marchers, primarily secondary school pupils and university students said the killings in Okahandja have deeply unsettled them, leading to a shared sense of insecurity and vulnerability across schools and communities.
“We don’t feel safe anymore,” said one of the student representatives during the march.
“If children can be taken and killed so brutally, what guarantee do we have that we are safe at school or even at home?”
In their petition, the youth expressed outrage over what they described as rampant crime and worsening social ills plaguing Namibia.
They highlighted concerns over gender-based violence, substance abuse, theft, assault, abortion, and murder, describing these crimes as disturbingly common and calling for a unified and urgent national response.
The group directed their petition to the Ministry of Home Affairs, Immigration, Safety and Security, the Ministry of Gender Equality and Child Welfare and the Namibian Defence Force.
They demanded swift action in apprehending the perpetrators behind the Okahandja killings and called for long-term safety measures to prevent similar tragedies.
“We are alarmed by the growing boldness of criminals and the lack of visible action from ministries mandated to protect us. Our communities continue to suffer under the weight of violence, insecurity, and social decay,” said the petition.
Some key demands outlined in the petition include increased visible policing and regular patrols in neighbourhoods, community policing forums and strengthened school safety initiatives, and deployment of trained police officers, social workers, and counsellors to schools.
“We demand a Namibia where children, women, and all citizens feel safe and protected in their homes, schools, workplaces, and public spaces,” the demonstrators appealed.