31 Jan 2017

Baherero and Ovanderu repatriation committee has been given two weeks to provide information regarding the list of people who are willing to go back to   Namibia.

Ngamiland district commissioner, Mr Koolopile Leipego confirmed in an interview that the committee was given the assignment after his office received a communication from the Ministry of Intenational Affairs and Cooperation, requesting his office to provide an updated list of people who wished to be repatriated, including their livestock.

After receiving the communication, he said they engaged the committee chairperson and gave him assignment to re-register all those who had shown interest to go back together with their properties.

He said the committee was given two weeks to complete the exercise and submit fresh information to guide them during their assessment and later compile a report and forward it to the ministry as expected.

“We believed that the information we had since 2014 was old and that they could had been some changes as they were some reports that some had decided otherwise, while some on the list might be dead,” he added.

Mr Leipego said the latest information would assist them make an informed report as they would have a foundation to work on.

He said they would be able to conduct interviews with the listed individuals to cross check if they had shown willingness to go back to Namibia.

For his part, the secretary of the committee, Mr Kaaya Koruyezu confirmed that they had been given an assignment to re-register the concerned people noting that they were hopeful that the exercise would be successful and completed on time as registration was a continuous exercise.

He said they had over 1 000 people registered, while waiting for government to make final decision regarding their plea.

He also commended the government for responding positively to their plea noting that he was hopeful that the number would increase as people were willing to go back.

Mr Koruyezu revealed that currently, they had representatives in all the corners who would help in collecting the relevant information.

Meanwhile, the Ngamiland district has a sizeable population of Baherero and Ovanderu who migrated from Namibia a century ago to escape genocide in their homeland.

Initially, a group of 256 people from Nokaneng, Habu, Tsau, Semboyo, Makakung, Kareng, Bothatogo, Toteng, Sehithwa, Bodibeng, Komana and Chanoga had requested government to give them permission to relocate to Namibia, where their forefathers and ancestors originated.

During consultations meetings, the concerned group did not advance reasons why they wanted to be repatriated, but all they could say was “we felt it was time to retrace their roots back to their home country”. ENDS