KING KAULUMA – Government says it is very sensitive towards the plight of veterans of the liberation struggle cautioning citizens to guard against demeaning the status of such “decorated” liberation icons.
The Minister of Veterans Affairs, Dr Nicky Iyambo took exception to recent media reports suggesting one such veteran, 78-year-old Colonel Simeon Shixungileni, a resident of King Kauluma village north of Oshivelo, was dumped without any care by government and its sub-national organs.
He explained government sees no need to come out guns blazing to dispel such media reports but rather to clarify accompanying misperceptions and allow citizens to be mobilized about the genuine programmes and projects that his ministry introduced to look after the plight of the ”liberators”.
“Veterans such as Colonel Shixungileni are decorated with Omungulugwombashe medals of bravery and are permanently attached to a unit in the Namibian Defence Force (NDF). He was the second-in-command during the Omugulugwombashe battle in 1966. He receives benefits like any other registered veteran but on top of that (he) enjoys the freedom to command his unit (NDF) to provide him with transport to and back from any destination of his choice in the country, he can sleep and receive food from the base gaining access through his unit any time, he can do that at his convenience unrestricted,” explained the minister.
The minister told New Era that stirring up emotions that are associated with the bitter war that was waged to liberate and free Namibia, 23 years after freedom and independence was gained is highly questionable though government remains committed to respect constitutional provisions that protect a citizen’s right to freedom of expression.
“We are fully aware that Commandant Shixungileni is a cancer patient who due to ill health could not attend the Omugulugwombashe event and not because government neglected his plight. The elderly statesman owns close to 20 hectares of mahangu fields, which yield harvest and provide daily means of food. Stable food he has it, the land is properly kept and fenced off therefore I doubt that the neighbours are the main source of survival. Government will give an extra ear should there be additional needs”, stated the soft-spoken minister.
Iyambo further explained that government, through the veterans affairs ministry is responsible for the payment of any medication used by war veterans, and which is not kept in state hospitals and or available in government stores.
He added that the lump sum and related benefits received by the veterans is not the ceiling and that government has always been flexible to intervene circumstantially when approached by the veterans themselves or their families for bailout during exceptional cases.
“We do not have records of veterans that were shunned by government. We construct houses for them despite the ongoing benefits offered by our ministry because people like Shixungileni deserve such decoration, they are the brave heroes and heroines whom we remember not only on 26 August but as long as we live and remain associated with the history of the bitter struggle and fight for the liberation of our country,” stressed Iyambo.
Approached for comment at the couple’s King Kauluma residence, Teopolina Shixungileni, wife of Colonel Shixungileni did not deny that government was committed to the welfare of the veterans but that little was done to render moral support to such families.
The wife, now aged 68 years old, however welcomed the intervention by the minister who visited her husband prior and shortly after the Heroes Day commemoration but she remained adamant that the monthly social grant of N$2 200 was too little to sustain the family and pay for educational expenses of their two children.
“The minister’s visit put the record straight, we were not aware of the incentives that accompanied the decoration of the rank of colonel to my husband. My husband received the Omugulumwombashe medal of bravery in 2007 at Eehana but we were not explained what it entailed. The fact that the minister informed us about the accompanying benefits is such a relief because we were suffering in ignorance,” said the wife.
Shixungileni was consulting his medical practitioner at Oshakati at the time our reporter visited his homestead.
Teopolina Shixungileni also confirmed the arrangement that government was to effect upfront payment for specialised medication for the treatment of the cancer of Col. Shixungileni, should state health institutions not be in a position to supply.
“Both my husband’s medical condition coupled with frustration compelled us not to attend this year’s Heroes Day event. We will remain Swapo functionaries, nothing will take it away from us. We only want to appeal to our government to pay regular visits to the war veterans to gauge their living conditions constantly and not only during independence and Heroes Day anniversaries. That oversight is a serious weakness on the part of our leadership, let us not deny it and instead pay attention to our plight,” said Shixungileni’ wife.
She further stressed that government should initiate beneficiation schemes for the families of war veterans to ensure that the incentives are not interrupted when such veterans pass on one day.
Meanwhile, Oshikoto Regional Governor Penda Ya Ndakolo, a veteran freedom fighter himself told New Era that some people are hell bent on distorting real facts and tampering with emotions of the past that are very painful reminders of the long journey to freedom and independence.
“Yes, President (Pohamba) encouraged the youth to record the history of the struggle but not through being insensitive towards the challenges our ailing veterans are facing. Record the history or programmes of the ministry (veterans affairs) properly and with sensitivity because you are dealing with people in the age categories of the likes of Dr Sam Nujoma, Founding President and First Commander of PLAN, people that resisted the colonialist forces barefooted and under difficult conditions,” he said. The governor denied allegations that Col. Shixungileni is left on his own behest and under extreme poverty.
“Col. Shixungileni is in the responsible care of our government. There are no signs of extreme poverty at his homestead and I know what I am talking about. If there is a communication breakdown within the reporting structures, it’s just a matter of restoring it, else our system is fully functional and our veterans have nothing to worry about,” said the Oshikoto governor.
He added, “Swapo will always remember its heroes and heroines. We introduced that system (reward) immediately after independence because we are an empowerment government. Our veterans are ailing and mostly ill hence my appeal to younger family members and spouses to keep contact with government and constantly report the status and living conditions of our veterans to enable us to act promptly and not through the media,” stressed Ya Ndakolo.
By Engel Nawatiseb