ETAYI – Swapo lawmaker and deputy works minister Veikko Nekundi says Namibia’s hard-fought struggle and subsequent independence were not meant to create fertile grounds to advocate gay rights.
He was speaking during belated 34th anniversary of independence at Etayi constituency in the Omusati region on Saturday.
Hundreds of people from across the constituency, including senior traditional leaders, gathered to mark the day.
At national level, this year’s Independence Day was commemorated at Katima Mulilo on 21 March.
“It’s very wrong when people are fighting for unnecessary things, especially those who believe in gays. This does not show a good example in the nation. Let’s respect the freedom that we have today. We should focus on the right things,” Nekundi said.
He hastened to say he was not in Etayi to campaign, but to tell Namibians what is right.
Furthermore, he added that the country’s independence did not come on a silver platter.
“We should respect our heroes and heroines who fought for this independence,” he said, adding that a lot has been achieved by the country on the social and economic progression fronts.
“The government built schools, clinics and provided water across the country. Today, we have electricity at some of the villages because of the effort made by Swapo,” he said.
Following the ground-breaking decision by the Supreme Court to recognise same-sex marriages endorsed outside Namibia last year, many dissenting voices joined the churches, the ruling party and others to condemn the judgement.
The ruling, which marked a significant step towards recognising LGBTQ+ rights in the country, revealed deep divisions within society regarding the recognition of same-sex unions.
The matter stemmed from the residency applications by a German woman who married a Namibian woman in Germany, and a South African man who married a Namibian man in South Africa, the only country on the continent that allows same-sex marriages.
In a judgement delivered in May 2023, four judges declared that the denial of an official recognition by the ministry of home affairs to same-sex marriages conducted outside Namibia violates the constitutional rights to equality and dignity.
The court declared that the marriages of the two couples should be acknowledged in Namibia.
Furthermore, the court affirmed that the non-Namibian partner in each union should be recognised as the spouse of their Namibian partner under the Immigration Control Act of the country.
As a result of the judgement, non-Namibian spouses in same-sex marriages are granted the same rights of residence in Namibia which are typically granted to spouses in heterosexual marriages.
Nekundi further emphasised that the government is aware of the challenges faced by Namibians including perennial droughts and high unemployment rates among the youth.
To address these, he said, the government will continue its commitment to fight poverty, ending hunger and ensuring service delivery.
At the same event, Nekundi donated two wheelchairs to the Etayi constituency office.
“I am aware there are people in need of wheelchairs in this constituency. I will return with at least 10 wheelchairs to donate to people with disabilities,” he promised. During the commemoration, a moment of silence was observed in memory of late president Hage Geingob, who died in February this year. – fhamalwa@nepc.com.na