ABOUT 300 ‘struggle kids’ camping at the Swapo offices at Kandjengedi at Ongwediva say if the party’s secretary general Nangolo Mbumba does not come to meet them before the end of this month, they will march to Windhoek and camp at the Swapo headquarters.
They told that this decision was taken because of the many empty promises made by Mbumba and many other senior Swapo and government leaders.
“We have lost trust in him. He has promised us many times that our problems will be heard, but up to now nothing, ” said group leader Erickson Ndahangwapo.
“Jerry Ekandjo was here. He told us things that even people from his ministry do not know about “, said one ‘struggle kid’, adding that youth minister Ekandjo once visited them in November last year and told them to go to youth offices and apply for loans to start businesses. When they allegedly went, they were told nothing of the sort existed there.
“He lied to us, ” he charged.
Asked how they will manage the 700 km without transport, they were defiant.
“You see how we are living here? We are suffering. So, we are used to that. We will walk. Windhoek is near “.
They also said they are not going to ask for assistance regarding the planned journey, but will welcome any assistance.
“If Nangolo Mbumba did not make himself available at Rundu or Grootfontein, then he must just reserve some cold water for us at the party headquarters. We will cut his journey short, ” one stated.
“He must not just waste government or party petrol to come here for nothing. He must come with a message to inform us when to start, ” stressed another one.
Asked what they will do if authorities prevent them from camping at the Swapo offices, Ndahangwapo retorted: “Whoever decides to do that must come with appointment letters for each of us, telling us when and where we will start working. ”
They also said should the state use force to remove them from the Swapo headquarters, they will refuse as they are prepared to die.
“You are a journalist, and I know you know about Ndatipo. If they decide to use force, what killed Ndatipo will just finish us “.
Frieda Ndatipo (26), was one of the ‘struggle kids’ camping in Windhoek and was shot during a demonstration at the Swapo Party headquarters in August 2014. Mbumba could not be reached for comment.
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