Nearly a year after a botched Birmingham trip by around 200 Namibians, the British government yesterday decided to revoke its visa-free entry for Namibia, citing the gesture’s abuse. 

Four months ago, New Era reported that wheels were in motion in the United Kingdom (UK) to change Namibia’s status due to purported abuse of asylum and other immigration laws. 

It has now come to pass. 

“The UK government has announced today that, with immediate effect, all Namibian nationals will need a visa before travelling to the UK, including to visit,” reads part of the statement issued by the British High Commission in Windhoek.

The decision to impose a visa regime was made due to a sustained and significant increase in the number of UK asylum applications from Namibian nationals at UK borders since 2016. 

“This constitutes an abuse of the provision to visit the UK for a limited period as non-visa nationals,” the statement reads. 

While expressing cognisance of the decision’s impact on many Namibians wishing to travel to the UK as genuine visitors, British High Commissioner to Namibia Charles Moore rallied behind his government. 

“Unfortunately, the significant increase in asylum claims from Namibian nationals on arrival at the UK border has made it necessary for us to implement these new measures,” the outspoken diplomat said. 

The international relations ministry yesterday said it has taken note of the announcement.

“The Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation hereby informs that Cabinet has deliberated on the matter, and has established a committee to look into this matter. The government, therefore, calls upon the Namibian nation to remain calm as the Cabinet committee will deliberate on the issue, in order to ensure that Namibian nationals are not disadvantaged by such a decision,” reads the statement.

Until yesterday, Namibians wishing to visit the UK as tourists were not required to apply for visas. 

In February, over 90% of Namibians seeking asylum in the UK were rejected, while 1 200 applications were pending assessment. 

When Moore was asked earlier this year if Namibians have valid grounds to seek asylum in the UK, he retorted: “Asylum in the UK provides sanctuary for those unable to live safely in any part of their own country due to fear of persecution, with all applications assessed against a comprehensive set of criteria.” 

Reaction

The news was received with mixed feelings. 

Lawmaker Maximalliant Katjimune described the decision as unfortunate. 

The development, he said, is informed by the imbalances in the global hegemonic system and the Namibian government’s inability to address poverty, inequality and unemployment. 

The latter, Katjimune advanced, has led to an influx of “our people seeking economic refuge in the United Kingdom”. 

“The government of the United Kingdom must, therefore, revisit this unfortunate decision as it poses a threat to the relationship we have developed… we must also avoid a situation whereby discontent is brewed between and among Namibians towards the British because of this decision and the nature of its hastiness,” he said. 

Meanwhile, for political commentator Rui Tyitende, the writing has been on the wall.

Since Rishi Sunak came into office, there has been a clampdown on illegal migrants in the UK, he said. 

Like Katjimune, Tyitende agrees that most Namibians flee to the UK for economic reasons and “not moving to the UK because they are being persecuted or the gross violation of their human rights”. 

“It is rather unfortunate that it is happening under a climate of anti-migrant protests in the UK. In short, some UK citizens are anxious about their ‘white country’ witnessing an unprecedented influx of black immigrants in their communities,” Tyitende said. 

He was not done: “We cannot remove race from the equation as the UK used to pay Rwanda US$152 million per annum to host various international immigrants. Why has the same not been done for people seeking asylum from the UK?”

Sovereign 

Adding his voice to the discourse, lawyer-cum-analyst Natjirikasorua Tjirera said the UK government is well within its rights. 

“It’s rather unfortunate but it’s of course their sovereign right. I am just wondering whether our government will reciprocate the inhumane British action or will they clap hands in submission to their master as always.”

However, Tjirera said it is unfortunate that the British, who colonised this country, now believe Namibians are a nuisance to them. 

Tjirera drove this home:“It’s unfortunate that the same British who has a citizen accused of a heinous crime of murder in Namibia [multi-millionaire Harvey Boulter] chooses to close its doors to Namibians because Namibians are running away from the poverty that British colonialism helped entrench.”

Selfish Namibians 

In 2022, Moore singled out selfish Namibians who are abusing the non-visa entry requirement to seek asylum in the UK. 

This, he said, was to the detriment of legitimate asylum seekers from war-torn nations or those fleeing distress.

“[Asylum] is not for people who are going into the UK, get a job and stay for longer. Unfortunately, that’s what we’ve seen happening… Personally, I don’t think that’s right. It’s rather selfish because it also blocks the asylum system, which is there to assist people who are in real distress,” he stated then.

Over the years, Namibians have been accused of seeking asylum in countries such as the UK and Canada under false pretences. 

Reasons forwarded include abuse, purported wanton abuse of gay rights, or lack of opportunities for people with disabilities. 

Between 2008 and 2021, there were 1 319 asylum claims made by Namibian nationals in the UK. 

Of this figure, 1 163 claims have been made since 2017.  Only 138 Namibians were successfully granted asylum statuses during this period.  In addition, at least a further 800 asylum claims were made during 2022, with those applications still pending.  

Birmingham nightmare 

Last year, a group of 198 Namibians, led by Katutura Central constituency councillor Vezemba Rodman Katjaimo, organised a trip to the United Kingdom to attend the Birmingham Commonwealth Games.  

The trip later failed as participants failed to meet certain entry requirements in the UK. 

It then turned out that the trip could have been a decoy, with asylum-seeking being the chief objective of some participants who had no intention to return to Namibia.

In part, some Namibians have apportioned blame on the failed Birmingham trip as the detonation of yesterday’s announcement. 

Questions sent to the politician yesterday were not answered at the time of going to print, while his phone went unanswered.

- emumbuu@nepc.com.na