02 Feb 2017

The chairperson of Baherero and Ovanderu Repatriation Committee, Mr Justice Muinjo has urged the government to fast track the repatriation process.

He said in an interview that the process had delayed as they requested to be repatriated to Namibia in 2013.

Despite the delay, he however appreciated that their efforts to talk to both Botswana and Namibia governments produced positive results.

“We are happy that we would finally go back to our own country of origin, but we request our government here to double its efforts and speed up the process as it had taken years now,” he added.

However, Mr Muinjo expressed displeasure about the decision by the government to request his committee to re-register people who had shown willingness to go back to Namibia.

He said in the previous repatriation process of 1993, the government took the responsibility to embark on the exercise and was successful.

During Namibia’s independence struggle, Botswana harboured a large number of Namibian political refugees especially Baherero and Ovambanderu, some of whom were repatriated to Namibia between 1993 and 1994.

However, Mr Muinjo said this time they were given a short period of time noting that there was a high possibility that some people willing to go might fail to register and would be left behind.

He revealed that some of the Baherero and Ovambanderu reside in rural areas of which the committee might fail to reach them.

He said even though they were not happy with the decision, they had no choice but to embark on the exercise.

The chairperson called on all the concerned people to come forth and register.
Asked about why they want to go back, Mr Muinjo said he did not want to discuss the reasons but all he could say was to wish the two governments of Botswana and

Namibia to continue maintaining their great cordial relationship.

He said if all things could go accordingly, he would had an opportunity to thank the Botswana government for the great love and support it demonstrated to them during difficult times.

He said they lived peacefully and happily here as they had access to all the basic amenities.

“We were also given the opportunity to remain Hereros and Ovanderu and also practiced our culture freely,” he added.

Meanwhile, the committee was given two weeks by the office of the Ngamiland district commissioner to complete the exercise of re-registering those who want to go together with their property. BOPA