Usakos family murder victims laid to rest as gender minster calls for action against violence

Gender and child welfare minister Emma Kantema says Namibia cannot remain silent while innocent lives are being lost to the scourge of violence in the country.

Kantema, who on Saturday attended the memorial service of six family members who were allegedly killed and set alight at Usakos by an 18-year-old relative on 5 April, said justice must be served.

The victims – Elizabeth Naruses, her granddaughter Fenny Naruses, and great-grandchildren Raunisha Boer, Ibra Naruses, Emi Naruses and Rachel Boer – were allegedly murdered by the young family member.

Kantema also called on anyone with information that could lead to the arrest of a suspect in the cases of Ingrid Maasdorp, Roswinds Fabianu and Beyonce Kharuxas, who were killed at Okahandja, to come forward.

In her speech during the funeral ceremony of the six victims on Saturday, Kantema said the nation cannot remain silent or turn a blind eye in the midst of violence.

“If you know something, if you see something, you must speak,” she said.

Speaking at the same occasion, Landless People’s Movement (LPM) leader Bernadus Swartbooi said the boy child has been neglected.

“What are we doing with the boys? What is the place of the boy child (in society)?” he asked.

“We’re just focusing on empowering women and we have made important inroads, but forgetting to empower boys. As a result, a grandmother and siblings are buried at the hands of the boy child,” Swartbooi said.