By Anna Ingwafa
EENHANA
Founding Father of the Nation, Sam Nujoma has called on Namibians to initiate development projects in their communities to create employment opportunities.
The Government has created an enabling environment for businesses, especially small and medium enterprises to grow, flourish and create employment for the unemployed, he said.
Nujoma was speaking to a huge crowd of people on the occasion of the 48th anniversary of the Swapo Party at Eenhana on Saturday.
“I urge the regional and local authority councils to work harder and to approach relevant government ministries/offices/agencies to assist them in the initiation and implementation of projects in our regions. We must not sit and wait for the Government to do everything, otherwise we will promote a dependency syndrome among our people,” stressed Nujoma.
He congratulated Nehemia Haufiku for winning the council by-elections at Eenhana and urged him to work hard in order to accelerate socio-economic development in the constituency.
Nujoma said April 19, 1960 is a great day in the history of Swapo Party as on that day it took a brave decision to form a revolutionary movement that would unite all Namibians, irrespective of ethnic affiliation or social status to fight for freedom and independence.
“Swapo Party which developed into a formidable national liberation movement was founded on the principles of solidarity, freedom and justice. The aims and objectives of Swapo were to liberate our country from the yoke of the minority white apartheid colonial occupation of South Africa.
“Swapo followed in the footsteps of our national heroes and heroines and drew inspiration from our forebearers such Chief Hendrik Witbooi, Chief Jacob Marenga, Chief Kahimemwa Nguvauva, Chief Samuel Maharero, Chief Nehale lja Mpingana, Chief Madume ya Ndemufayo, Chief Iipumbu ja Tshilongo and others who fought heroically and resisted the enslavement of our country from colonial invaders.”
He said one of the reasons why the forebearers were defeated by the colonial invaders was because they fought divided.
But Swapo as a movement united the workers who were exploited as contract labourers. “Our grandfathers who worked under such inhuman system will tell you the bitter conditions that they endured.
“Thousand of patriotic Namibians responded to our call for unity to fight the colonial occupation of our country and economic exploitation of our people,” Nujoma continued.
“Frightened by the deepening and broadening dimension of Swapo’s liberation activity, the minority white apartheid colonial regime of South Africa resorted to more brutal methods of repression. Many Namibian political activists were imprisoned and tortured because of their participation in political activities.
“It was in response to the brutality of the apartheid colonial regime against our people that Swapo decided that there was no other alterative left, but to take up arms and fight for our own genuine freedom and independence when the first shots were fired at Omugulugwombashe on 26 August 1966,” said the former president.
Nujoma said the struggle for freedom and independence was long and bitter. Thousands of Namibians lost their lives in prisons while thousands others died fighting on the military front as combatants of the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN).
He warned those that continue to shy away from history saying that it is not important, to remember that “a country that shies away from its history will never be able to face its future with confidence”.
The Founding Father pointed out some tangible development projects that the Swapo Party-led Government has accomplished during the past 18 years.
“These include the development of physical infrastructure such as the deepening of the port of Walvis Bay, the construction of the Trans-Kalahari and Trans-Caprivi Highways, including the extension of the national road network through Rundu, Nkurenkure, Okongo, Eenhana, Onuno, Omafo, Okalongo, Outapi, Tsandi, Omakange and Opuwo to the new harbour that will be built at Agra Fria.”
He said Government also built the northern railway extension from Tsumeb to Oshikango via Ondangwa as well as performed the rehabilitation of the railway line from Aus to L??????’??