Entertainment Now! reached out to some of the country’s notable figures to find out what their thoughts are on the day. 

 Zulu Boy

Namibia at 31 is a different feel. I would like to applaud all the men and women who have been consistent throughout the years, in this independent Namibia. I am particularly greeting all the mothers, fathers, uncles who wake up early in the morning to sell kapana or anyone who sells things in the streets. It has been tough and we are in a pandemic but most of them are still going strong. I would like to wish every Namibian a happy independence day.

I am further wishing them strength and focus, confidence in whatever they are doing.

Dj Alba

Well, it’s hard to believe we are 31 years old, but yes here we are. We still have so much work to do in totality to help our country reach its next industrial stage because we are absolutely capable. Happy birthday Namibia, I will go to any length to represent you.

S-Man

I’m happy to see that we have made it this far, 31 years without any war in this country. But we also lost people, children go missing, got kidnapped, women getting raped and killed, corruption rising. So many things have happened but we still here. We still humble as Namibians, I hope we continue being the loving people that we are and support each other in whatever we do. I hope fathers will spend more time with their children and respect women and not raise their hands on them. I pray we should unite as one and respect each other’s traditions. Amen!!

Dj Dreas

I think Namibia is a beautiful country. Rich in many things like resources, heritage and culture.

Being Namibian these days is a bittersweet feeling.

With all the corruption going on, oppression of women and their rights, GBV and many other issues we still need to overcome as a nation.

But I do have hope, Namibia is a relatively young Nation. We have a lot of progressions to do. I’m glad to be part of the new generation advocating for change. 

Happy independence day

Dj Hozei

31 years more than enough years for development/improvement if it is not in infrastructure development than peace of living of our people.  However, the youth is still in fear of their lives as the country is weak on policy. Our sisters are still being raped and killed. The death penalty will improve the safety of our sisters.

Collin Benjamin

Independence meant freedom for me – freedom to dream. I had a dream of being a professional footballer and being an independent country, we as Namibians could pursue our dreams. The reality of being able to realise your dreams, in whatever sector, was an opportunity our parents didn’t have. We equally have the duty to be responsible for the freedom that came with independence. Long live Namibia!

DJ Nambalakats

Thirty-One years of independence means a lot to me. Looking at our country, we need to work hard and eliminate corruption so that everyone can equally benefit from the country’s wealth and not only some. Namibia needs to start producing its finished products rather than relying on imports from other nations. We don’t know what the future will be like. If a lot of things come from other countries, especially now during Covid-19 while people are already suffering, it won’t end well for many. This is a lesson that the country should have learnt within these past three decades. Namibia is capable of self-sufficiency. We can produce our goods.

 Let’s celebrate this Independence Day peacefully because if the war veteran were not there, we couldn’t be here working 

Erna Chimu

Our country is liberated and we need to appreciate that fact. We living in tough times where we can’t fully celebrate Independence Day in the old conventional way, for the second year now. But it’s the times we are living in and there is nothing we can do about it. Let’s celebrate this very important day in our history, let us not forget about it.

I would like to tell Namibians to not forget we are in a pandemic and they should adhere to the rules and regulations which are already set. Sanitise, wash your hands regularly and maintain social distance.

Neville Basson

I still remember as an 18-year-old in 1990, the excitement of the new flag; the excitement all over the country. We were so thankful that we finally reached our destination when it comes to liberation. For the last 31 years, we are extremely thankful that we as a country have had peace and stability that we all enjoy. Yes, we have our mistakes that have been made along the way, but this is our birthday and we can just sit back and reflect on the pride of this country. We appreciate what we have. We are a resilient nation and the level of unity we enjoy is something that most countries on this continent envy. Happy birthday Namibia; let’s grow closer to each other.