Urban and rural development minister James Sankwasa addresses Students Union of Namibia general assembly

Windhoek, Namibia. 11 March 2026.

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Programme director, Mr Barry Katjire

I greet you all in the name of God this morning.

I am deeply honoured and profoundly privileged to stand before this gathering of young intellectuals and emerging leaders at the general students assembly of the Students Union of Namibia. I extend my heartfelt commendation to the leadership of the union for convening this important assembly, which embodies the spirit of democratic participation and student representation within our national discourse.

I believe that this gathering should not be seen as merely a meeting of students, but as a congregation of future policymakers, innovators, entrepreneurs, educators and custodians of Namibia’s destiny. Within this hall sit individuals whose ideas, courage and determination will shape the socio-economic and political trajectory of our nation for generations to come.

Allow me to also acknowledge the presence of the various student and youth formations represented here today, including the Namibian National Students Organisation and the African Students Association.

Your presence here today reflects the diversity of thought, organisation and expression that characterises a healthy and vibrant democracy.

However, while you may represent different formations and ideological perspectives, I wish to encourage all student bodies and youth organisations to work together in good faith for a common national purpose. The future of Namibia will not be built through division among young people, but through unity of purpose, mutual respect and constructive collaboration. Competition of ideas is healthy in a democracy, but it must never compromise our collective responsibility to advance the interests of the nation.

Young people must therefore rise above unnecessary divisions and recognise that, despite organisational differences, you share a common destiny as the future leaders, builders and custodians of Namibia.

The challenges facing our nation – unemployment, development, education and social progress – require a generation of young leaders who are prepared to unite, to cooperate and to place the national interest above narrow organisational loyalties.

A stronger Namibia will emerge when its young people choose unity over fragmentation, dialogue over hostility and collaboration over conflict.

Democracy is not a passive inheritance. It is a living system that demands active participation, vigilance and responsible engagement from its citizens. For a young democracy such as ours, the participation of young people in democratic processes is not optional; it is absolutely indispensable.

Young people must therefore not view democracy as a distant concept confined to ballot boxes during elections. Rather, democracy must be understood as a daily commitment to dialogue, accountability, civic responsibility and constructive engagement.

I therefore encourage you, as students and youth leaders, to actively participate in democratic activities, to debate ideas, research issues of national interest, organise student activities responsibly, hold yourselves accountable for your actions before you hold institutions accountable, and advocate for your rights and interests through recognised and lawful structures of governance.

Student leadership is not different from any form of leadership. As a leader one must ask oneself questions such as: what qualified me to lead or hold this position? Am I leading my followers to the promised land or into the wilderness? Leadership requires vision based on insight, foresight, hindsight and peri-sight in order to yield tangible results.

The path to meaningful change is not through chaos, destruction or disengagement, but through organised, principled and strategic participation within democratic institutions. The Students Union of Namibia itself stands as a testament to this truth: that collective but reasonable voices, properly organised, can influence policy, shape discourse and contribute to national development.

Young people must therefore learn the delicate but powerful art of engagement: to challenge respectfully, to question constructively and to lead responsibly. Students are expected to analyse national issues in order to find national solutions to national problems.

Youthfulness is a season of energy, creativity, courage and aspiration. It is a period of life that should be enjoyed, celebrated and embraced. However, youthfulness must never be confused with recklessness or irresponsibility. Enjoy your youth, celebrate it, explore your talents, build friendships and dream boldly. But do so with a deep consciousness of responsibility, discipline and purpose.

Remember that what an elderly person can see while sitting, a young person may find difficult to see even when standing. The success of the youth should be coupled with guidance from elders who have graduated in most, if not all, facets from the university of life.

The freedoms you enjoy today did not emerge in a vacuum. They are the product of sacrifice, resilience and determination by those who came before you. The generation of your parents and grandparents fought relentlessly for the liberation and independence of this nation. Many paid the ultimate price so that you may sit freely in lecture halls, debate ideas openly and organise yourselves democratically.

Freedom, therefore, is not merely a privilege. It is a responsibility and must be subjected to checks and balances.

You must guard it. You must respect it. And you must use it wisely to advance both your personal aspirations and the collective progress of our nation.

While the government and institutions create enabling environments, the ultimate responsibility for your academic journey rests with you.

Study with diligence. Study with discipline. Study with purpose. Above all, study what is relevant and demanded by the market. The time to have a relevant curriculum is now if we are to arrest escalating unemployment in Namibia. We should not study to be employed but study to be deployed.

Your presence at university is not merely a personal achievement; it is a national investment. The knowledge and skills you acquire here must ultimately be deployed in service of Namibia’s development.

I particularly urge you not to confine your ambitions solely to urban centres. Our rural areas – the villages, settlements and emerging towns that form the backbone of our nation – require the energy, expertise and innovation of educated young Namibians.

Rural Namibia is not a place to escape from; it is a frontier of opportunity. It is in rural areas where agricultural innovation can transform livelihoods. It is there where small enterprises can flourish. It is there where infrastructure, education and healthcare require young professionals willing to make a difference.

The development of Namibia must not be geographically exclusive. It must be inclusive, balanced and equitable.

Therefore, when you graduate, I challenge you not only to seek employment but to become creators of employment opportunities. Invest your knowledge, your entrepreneurial spirit and your leadership within your communities. Help build local economies, strengthen local governance and contribute meaningfully to the transformation of both urban and rural Namibia.

The future of this nation will not be determined by the speeches of politicians alone, nor by policies written in government offices. It will be shaped by the decisions, values and actions of young people like yourselves.

Be bold thinkers.
Be disciplined leaders.
Be ethical citizens.
And above all, be patriots committed to the advancement of Namibia.

The Students Union of Namibia carries an important responsibility: to champion the rights and interests of students while cultivating a culture of dialogue, unity and constructive engagement.

I encourage the leadership of the union to continue serving as a bridge between students, institutions and government, ensuring that the voices of young people contribute positively to national development.

Let this general students assembly not simply be an event, but a moment of reflection, renewal and recommitment to the ideals of responsible leadership and democratic participation. For democracy to yield tangible results, all players must be focused, patriotic and ethical in all they do. Where integrity and ethical conduct prevail, prosperity becomes the firstborn; where they are absent, destruction becomes the beneficiary.

In conclusion, allow me to remind you of a simple yet powerful truth: the future is not something that arrives by chance. It is something deliberately built by those who dare to prepare for it. The future is not the place you are going to, but the decision you make and the place you create today.

Prepare yourselves.
Equip yourselves.
And rise to the responsibility of building a Namibia that is prosperous, inclusive, just and inclusive of all its citizens. For the family to be born, individualism must die; for a community to be born, familism must die; and for Namibia to live as one nation, tribe or ethnicity must give way to unity.

I thank you.

Long live the youth of Namibia.
Long live the Students Union of Namibia.
Long live the Republic of Namibia.

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