Rudolf Gaiseb

Children of the liberation struggle, better known as the “Struggle Kids” residing at the Ndilimani farm in Brakwater, paid homage to late founding president Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma on Friday.

They thanked him for being a beacon of hope to their parents to fight in the liberation struggle, freeing the country from the colonial regime.

“We remember Sam Nujoma as a leader. He brought up the action to fight against oppression in our country. At that time, we were not born, but we remember him because he was the leader who went into exile with our parents. Some went to Zambia and others to Angola, where the Swapo headquarters were. We will not forget him. He was a peaceful person, and used to listen to his people. I believe that no person born in exile wouldn’t know him,” said 38-year-old Vaino Nakale.

He added that they had been asking the government for jobs, and were hopeful that they would get them while he was alive.

“We have grown kids in secondary schools and universities, but we can’t provide for them because some of us were raised by old people, and our parents were killed in exile. We don’t have qualifications. We didn’t attend school. Sometimes one would be herding cattle while one should’ve been in school,” he said.

Struggle Kids were relocated to the camp, a few kilometres outside Windhoek in 2015.

Russian-born Liiza Shityeni (39) said: “We feel sad that our leader has passed away while we are still in the middle of nowhere. We have concerns about who will look our way, and who will help us now. We are truly sad about his passing. 

After Dr Sam Nujoma’s term in office came to an end, we didn’t know whether the promise that was made to us was still valid or not,” she said.

Angolan-born Selma Amadhila (39) shared that many of them in the camp don’t have parents.

“We have siblings and children, and no one helps us with our needs. It’s hard for us to survive because we don’t even receive any Harambee aid. My parents died without enjoying the benefits of our soil, but they fought for the liberation of this country,” she said. 

Fellow Angolan-born Ester Kaluvadi (35) described Nujoma as a joyful leader who always smiled and cared about his people. She said the going for them has, however, been tough.

“We’ve been filing applications because of NEKA, yet they never come back to us. Sam Nujoma used to advise on the right way to lead our country. We shall miss him,” she said. – rrgaiseb@gmail.com