15 Dec 2015

Acting governor of Zambezi region at Katima Mulilo in the north western part of Namibia, Mr Beaven Munali, has implored returning Namibian refugees not to sell building materials they received from government.

Welcoming 14 of the 16 Namibian refugees who were returning home after spending an average of 17 years at Dukwi Refugee Camp in Botswana on Saturday, Mr Munali said the materials should be used to set up housing structures.

The acting governor said it was important that the new arrivals should be housed and shielded from uncompromising atmospheric conditions, especially the rains, which had started to pour in some parts of the country.

Mr Munali therefore encouraged them to speedily construct their houses.

He, however, entreated them to engage in Community Based Natural Resources Management (CBNRM) projects in their communities, which government was aggressively encouraging and supporting, as they were a source of sustainable employment especially in the rural communities.

He further noted that, as full citizens of Namibia, they should also actively participate in the socio-economic of their country, adding that since it was the rain season, they should plough in their family fields or the ones that they would soon acquire.

In the meantime, he said they should, by Monday, be in the process of registering to acquire birth certificates and the national identity cards just like the rest of fellow Namibians.  

Meanwhile, the process of distributing building materials was temporarily halted as a family of one of the returnees, Mr Joseph Kasenga, from Shukmansburg village unexpectedly arrived after spotting him from Namibia television the previous night. 

The family had given up hope that he will ever come back home alive and healthy.

Mr Kasenga reportedly left for Dukwi with his cousin in 1999 after being promised paradise in Botswana by some political activist who reportedly advocated for the cessation of the region from the rest of the country.

His cousin later died in the camp after succumbing to ill health and was buried there, something which the family has not yet come to terms with as they were unable to at least attend his funeral.  

Like many of the returnees, Mr Kasenga, who was born in May 11, 1976 and left for Botswana while he was still schooling, has no formal trade. 

He will like the rest of deserving Namibians register for Drought Relief Programme to get his monthly ration of maize meal as explained by the acting governor.

In the meantime, all the returnees were given $300 while the two young ones aged four and two years respectfully were given $100 each and a food ration for a three month period by the UNHCR head of field officer, Mr Panchoe. Ends