Despite Namibia clocking 30 years of nationhood on 21 March this year, following the protracted and bitter liberation struggle for independence, the issue of veteran status remains thorny for many former freedom fighters. 

The Sifwe expression says, ‘Bvonshe bvajowerla, kono bveni bvorlufu kabva rlubvwa’. 

This means that, during a death, all may be crying and howling at the loudest, but the real mourners are identifiable and recognisable. 

In other words, many mourners may just fake their crying just to show that they cared about the deceased, but it is just crocodile tears. 

Many Namibians claim to have fought for Namibia’s liberation, but the opposite is true. 

The real freedom fighters are there, but unrecognisable.

Although this might seem like digging into the past or opening an old wound, the reality is that some of our political leaders who are in Cabinet and parliament dined with the South African Security Forces and were even tasked to eliminate those who were active in the liberation struggle. 

Some of them even formed and joined political parties which did not like Swapo to come back and rule Namibia. 

Well, it is political freedom, coupled with the undocumented policy of national reconciliation. 

Therefore, let the sleeping dog lie. 

But the pain of those who sacrificed so much to such an extent that some had to lose their lives for the independence of Namibia is too big to bear. 

Many of them have been applying to be recognised and registered as veterans, but all those efforts have landed on a ‘corrupt table’. 

However, whatever the circumstances, the Veterans Act, Article 27 (2) (a) (b) (c) is very explicitly crystal clear that a veteran is a person who – (a) was a member of the liberation forces, provided the person was above 18 years of age on 21 March 1990; (b) consistently and persistently participated or engaged in any political, diplomatic or under-ground activity in furtherance of the liberation struggle up to the date of independence; or (c) owing to his or her participation in the liberation struggle was convicted, whether in Namibia or elsewhere, of any offence closely connected to the struggle and sentenced to imprisonment, provided the person continued with the liberation struggle activities after being released. 

Contrary to all assumptions, the Act does not state that, once one leaves the Swapo party, one no longer qualifies for veteran status. In fact, if one has participated in furthering the liberation struggle in any form until the time of independence, one should qualify. Unfortunately, some leaders in Swapo are ignorantly or deliberately using the excuse of leaving Swapo to deny the genuine freedom fighters access to the benefits of the veterans. 

Yet, if one examines and scrutinises some of these leaders, they flatly fail the test of being genuine veterans. 

It is the politics of the belly and bottom power which is at play here. 

What is surprising is that the Act itself is straightforward and just, but the implementation thereof seems to meander, twist things and apply the Act selectively and in ways that are definitely discriminatory in some situations. 

Pick a case where one is said to have wavered during the liberation struggle, whatever that means, but obviously by leaving Swapo, came back home or stayed abroad until independence, and the person qualified for veteran status. 

In a similar vein, another one from a suspected region wavered as it is said in Nujoma’s book, ‘Where Others Wavered’, came back home, applied for veteran status, but his or her application was declined. 

There are many such cases in the country. 

In some cases, there are those who only joined Swapo after independence and were collaborators with the oppressive and racist system. 

However, upon applying for the same status, they are granted veteran status. 

There are many people in the Zambezi region and other parts of the country who sacrificed so much for the liberation of this country, yet their contributions amount to nothing. 

However, those who betrayed the liberation struggle are wallowing in the largesse of veteranship. The Masidas and many others went through terrible and torturous experiences in those apartheid cells, yet “their being roasted” has amounted to zero. 

If the aim of the Veteran Act and its provision is to benefit those who contributed to the liberation struggle in any manner, let the Veterans Affairs conduct research to compensate those who really qualify and suffered for just cause.

*Prof. Makala Lilemba is an academician, author, diplomat, motivational leader, researcher and scholar.