PRESIDENT Hage Geingob said erstwhile opposition leader Mishake Muyongo misled Namibians.
Geingob said this during the Swapo star rally at the Katima Mulilo sports complex on Saturday, which was attended by thousands of party supporters.
He said Muyongo was part of the Constituent Assembly which drafted the Constitution of Namibia, and not that of the Caprivi, now Zambezi region.
“It is very important while I am here to address this very important issue, that is of people who want to say they are Caprivians and want to secede Caprivi [Zambezi] from Namibia. Let me for the last time explain what happened at the Constituent Assembly, where honourable Mishake Muyongo was there drafting the Constitution of Namibia with us. Let me just quote the Constitution so that this story should be buried.
“The Republic of Namibia is hereby established as a sovereign, secular, democratic, unitary state founded on the principles of democracy, rule of law and justice for all”.
Geingob further explained that during the debate in theConstituent Assembly on 20 December 1989, Muyongo said “Namibia will be a unitary state, sovereign and democratic. A unitary Namibia is a state that abides by the principles of territorial integrity and a rejection of secession. It will be a unitary, sovereign and democratic state”.
Geingob furthermore urged that peace be maintained with the recent return of the former Dukwe refugees, who had fled to Botswana following a failed secessionist attempt.
“We want peace. People were misled and left the country, they wasted their time in Botswana. The United Nations said they are not going to pay anything for them, and we as the government took over and gave them the money because they are Namibians.
“You [refugees] are back home, and I am now officially welcoming you as Namibians, and you have the same rights as all Namibians,” he stated.
Geingob encouraged the public to point out the mistakes of the Swapo government, as they will admit some of them.
“We inherited a country which was segregated by apartheid. People were not allowed to move freely, but now they are free. They can settle anywhere, move anywhere, uniting as Namibian people. That is what Swapo has done, “ he said. He said since independence, the Swapo government has brought a lot of development to the Zambezi region, namely the completion of the Lusese clinic, the construction of a primary healthcare clinic at Kaenda, the completion of the Kabbe South and Linyanti constituency offices, and 14 new schools constructed there since independence. Furthermore, about 636 liberation war veterans were registered, including their dependants, who are receiving grants.
“The Zambezi region, like other regions, has been affected by the worst drought, and we are paying attention to that. So, really for some people to tell you that nothing has been done since independence is not true. This was a small village when I came here in 1989, but today you see it has changed to a town,” he noted.
In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.
The Namibian uses AI tools to assist with improved quality, accuracy and efficiency, while maintaining editorial oversight and journalistic integrity.
Stay informed with The Namibian – your source for credible journalism. Get in-depth reporting and opinions for
only N$85 a month. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy –
Subscribe Now!
