The Former Refugees Repatriation Association of Namibia (Frran) says it will take its demands to president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.
This follows an inconclusive meeting with Swapo officials and United Nations (UN) representatives on Saturday.
The engagement, led by Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa, in the capital, involved former refugees who have been camping at the party’s headquarters in Windhoek since October 2025.
Their grievances centre around the 1989 repatriation of Namibians who lived in exile during the liberation struggle.
The group claims the UN provided funds to Swapo to compensate returnees for resettlement and rehabilitation and demands that the alleged funds be paid to them, 36 years after independence.
Shaningwa said the demonstrators were seeking clarity and finality on what happened to the funds they believe were allocated for their benefit.
She said UN representatives, including UN resident coordinator Hopolang Phororo and United Nations high commissioner for refugees (UNHCR) country representative Kavita Belani, were invited to provide clarity on the longstanding issue.
However, Shaningwa said Swapo’s financial records contain no evidence of such funds. She noted that a thorough review of party records since her first election as secretary general in 2017, and her re-election in 2022, did not support the claims.
“In the spirit of transparency and fairness, we have therefore engaged the UN directly to provide authoritative insight,” she said.
Belani reiterated that the UN had fulfilled its mandate regarding the return of Namibian refugees. She said the UNHCR’s role in 1989 was limited to voluntary repatriation, including transport and basic assistance such as food rations.
She dismissed claims that resettlement and rehabilitation components under UN Security Council Resolution 435 of 1978 were left unimplemented, saying all donor funds were fully utilised and accounted for.
“There is no difference in the assistance provided to Namibia compared to other countries where repatriation was supported,” Belani said, adding that rehabilitation and resettlement are the responsibility of the government of the country of origin.
Despite the explanations, Frran members expressed dissatisfaction and vowed to continue their demonstration at Swapo headquarters.
Association president Mateus Nangolo said the group would seek an audience with President Nandi-Ndaitwah, with a meeting expected next month.
He said many returnees continue to suffer due to inadequate rehabilitation and housing, and that the group also plans to send representatives to Geneva for a meeting at the UNHCR headquarters.
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