Thank You, Namibia, But I May Need to Raise My Voice

Thank you, namibia for freedom and independence. Thank you for freedom of speech and freedom of expression.

I was born free and protected.

I was born free to be nurtured and properly educated.

Thank you once again, Namibia.

I was schooled to defend the national symbols of Namibia and the future, not the past.

Namibia in 2024 is a far better country than it was before. However, through the common struggles of a high youth unemployment rate and poverty, I may need to raise my voice and point to the cure before it becomes a cancer.

I will use the little knowledge I got from our education system to advocate the progressive ideas that will help transform our nation.

I will never rejoice in poverty, and celebrate the high unemployment rate.

Despite my nursing qualifications, I have been unemployed for the last 17 months.

The current socio-economic climate in Namibia needs resuscitation.

The promise of independence has not been fully realised in all 14 regions and 121 constituencies.

I therefore would like to appeal to my respected leaders to do something and address the unemployment challenge, because failure to do so may force us, the born-frees, to be nostalgic and think that things were better before independence.

Alexactus T Kaure is 100% right: “Namibia is a rich country with many poor people, and most of these statistics come from reputable international organisations, not from opposition politicians who have equally failed their constituents.”

As a student of history, I cut my teeth in understanding life in the ‘Land of the Brave’, and I will state boldly that Namibia suffers from a disease I call ‘Recycling Syndrome’.

We have recycling tendencies in this country. Recycling is only good for the environment, but not for politics. There are people in Namibia who have been in office during the tenure of the founding president, the tenure of president Pohamba, and the tenure of the late president Hage Geingob.

Yet, they still want to be elected and be part of the new administration.

This is not right.

In today’s world, we must acknowled-ge and celebrate the leaders who lead authentically, guided by unwavering values and principles, so that the young generation will be able to emulate good examples from those leaders.

Fellow Namibians, a leader’s title is just the vehicle of authority and legitimacy through which they act.

Leaders should always be willing to take risks and confront challenges, facing their people head-on.

Fellow Namibians, let us use the ballot box come 27 November to punish those who do not care about the high youth unemployment rate in Namibia.

If they cared we would see them scrapping highly paid positions, which are largely ceremonial, and creating programmes targeted to address the unemployment epidemic.

I rest my case.

Long live Namibia, the child of international solidarity, midwifed by the United Nations.

Alfeus Hamundja