What happened to Nanso?

WINDHOEK – For many students it would seem that the Namibia National Students Organisation (Nanso) no longer exists.

The once proud students’ movement, which played a crucial role in the final years of the liberation struggle, has hardly been heard of for years. And when Nanso did last hit the headlines, it was for all the wrong reasons.Reports of corruption, irregularities, and incompetence were rife as the new millennium dawned.Abed Shiimi, the Vice President of the Polytechnic’s Students Representative Council, says it would appear that Nanso is non-existent since no national organisation is taking up issues such as hostel evictions and the right to sit exams.”Nanso might not be informed because we don’t even know if they exist.We as the SRC of the Polytechnic are willing to work together with Nanso if they exist … we don’t even know where their offices are and who is ruling the organisation,” Shiimi says.If Nanso does want to start the long process of restoring its name, then the organisation’s leaders must start listening to students’ problems, he adds.In fact Nanso does still exist, albeit with a very low profile.After fours years of virtual dormancy, the organisation plans to re-establish itself in the next year.But where did it all go wrong for the movement that was founded in 1984? Ignatius Shixwameni, a founder member, recalls that Nanso was successful in its early years.He says the organisation was at the forefront of the campaign for independence inside the country.It also brought about improvements for students, such as the abolition of the ‘prefect system’ in favour of a more democratic way of choosing student leaders, which became the SRC system.Shixwameni says that in 1984 Nanso’s main aim was to unite all students to fight for the right to free, quality education.Student activists of the time recognised “that it was only through independence that we could get rid of Bantu education”.However, he feels that after independence Nanso failed to transform itself from a resistance organisation to a student body in a free society.”You now have to sit and talk with Government on student issues as you cannot go to the streets and shout slogans anymore.”Shixwameni says the downfall of Nanso started after he and other leaders left the country for further studies in 1991.At a congress held to elect a new leadership a split arose over whether Nanso should remain affiliated to Swapo.Members from the central northern regions left Nanso and formed their own organisation after the congress voted to leave the ruling party.This, according to Shixwameni, weakened the organisation.The current Nanso President Mandela Kapere also says the problems date back to the early 1990s, although serious malpractices within the organisation were first uncovered in 1997.”If you die of an illness today, it does not mean you just got sick today,” says Kapere, explaining that it took a long time for irregularities to be discovered.Chris Hawala, the current Nanso Vice President says serious debt problems came into the spotlight in 2000, although the issue dated back to 1997.Kapere says, “The organisation failed to redefine itself and find its position after Independence.”The major blow to Nanso’s reputation came in 1999, when Ibis (WUS Denmark), a Danish aid organisation that had been funding Nanso, discovered that funds were being misappropriated.Up to N$200 000 allegedly disappeared from the account of an empowerment company set up by Nanso.The organisation was also in serious debt.According to Neville Andre, the current Nanso Secretary General, this problem led to the closure of the organisation’s head office in Khomasdal, Windhoek, in 2000.The Police were called in to investigate charges of misappropriation.”No one was convicted, but at this time the Nanso leadership started to disband,” says Kapere, adding that some leaders wanted the accused to face justice, while others were opposed to the proposal.Shixwameni says that by 1995 he knew Nanso was having problems and that its influence among the student population was decreasing.par He says the Nanso leadership were reluctant to take advice from the former leaders.”I know they were eating the money at the time,” he claims.Andre says the organisation is still operating and is in the process of re-establishing itself.”The main problem is that people cannot locate the Nanso offices as we now operate from the National Youth Council’s head office.”He adds that Nanso has visited schools in the Erongo, Karas, Oshikoto, Oshana and Khomas regions, with the aim of informing the scholars about the organisation’s plans.Hawala says Nanso is unable to offer tangible benefits that might attract members.In comparison a Finnish student organisation can offer benefits such as medical aid, discounts on public transport and other services, and scholarships, he says.A forward-looking Kapere explains Nanso should be up and running properly after a congress to be held next year.But with Nanso’s recent past in mind, many students might wonder whether this will be yet another false start for the organisation.- Nampa-Echoes News Service (Polytechnic)And when Nanso did last hit the headlines, it was for all the wrong reasons.Reports of corruption, irregularities, and incompetence were rife as the new millennium dawned.Abed Shiimi, the Vice President of the Polytechnic’s Students Representative Council, says it would appear that Nanso is non-existent since no national organisation is taking up issues such as hostel evictions and the right to sit exams.”Nanso might not be informed because we don’t even know if they exist.We as the SRC of the Polytechnic are willing to work together with Nanso if they exist … we don’t even know where their offices are and who is ruling the organisation,” Shiimi says.If Nanso does want to start the long process of restoring its name, then the organisation’s leaders must start listening to students’ problems, he adds.In fact Nanso does still exist, albeit with a very low profile.After fours years of virtual dormancy, the organisation plans to re-establish itself in the next year.But where did it all go wrong for the movement that was founded in 1984? Ignatius Shixwameni, a founder member, recalls that Nanso was successful in its early years.He says the organisation was at the forefront of the campaign for independence inside the country.It also brought about improvements for students, such as the abolition of the ‘prefect system’ in favour of a more democratic way of choosing student leaders, which became the SRC system.Shixwameni says that in 1984 Nanso’s main aim was to unite all students to fight for the right to free, quality education.Student activists of the time recognised “that it was only through independence that we could get rid of Bantu education”.However, he feels that after independence Nanso failed to transform itself from a resistance organisation to a student body in a free society.”You now have to sit and talk with Government on student issues as you cannot go to the streets and shout slogans anymore.”Shixwameni says the downfall of Nanso started after he and other leaders left the country for further studies in 1991.At a congress held to elect a new leadership a split arose over whether Nanso should remain affiliated to Swapo.Members from the central northern regions left Nanso and formed their own organisation after the congress voted to leave the ruling party.This, according to Shixwameni, weakened the organisation. The current Nanso President Mandela Kapere also says the problems date back to the early 1990s, although serious malpractices within the organisation were first uncovered in 1997.”If you die of an illness today, it does not mean you just got sick today,” says Kapere, explaining that it took a long time for irregularities to be discovered.Chris Hawala, the current Nanso Vice President says serious debt problems came into the spotlight in 2000, although the issue dated back to 1997. Kapere says, “The organisation failed to redefine itself and find its position after Independence.”The major blow to Nanso’s reputation came in 1999, when Ibis (WUS Denmark), a Danish aid organisation that had been funding Nanso, discovered that funds were being misappropriated.Up to N$200 000 allegedly disappeared from the account of an empowerment company set up by Nanso.The organisation was also in serious debt.According to Neville Andre, the current Nanso Secretary General, this problem led to the closure of the organisation’s head office in Khomasdal, Windhoek, in 2000. The Police were called in to investigate charges of misappropriation.”No one was convicted, but at this time the Nanso leadership started to disband,” says Kapere, adding that some leaders wanted the accused to face justice, while others were opposed to the proposal.Shixwameni says that by 1995 he knew Nanso was having problems and that its influence among the student population was decreasing.par He says the Nanso leadership were reluctant to take advice from the former leaders.”I know they were eating the money at the time,” he claims.Andre says the organisation is still operating and is in the process of re-establishing itself.”The main problem is that people cannot locate the Nanso offices as we now operate from the National Youth Council’s head office.”He adds that Nanso has visited schools in the Erongo, Karas, Oshikoto, Oshana and Khomas regions, with the aim of informing the scholars about the organisation’s plans.Hawala says Nanso is unable to offer tangible benefits that might attract members.In comparison a Finnish student organisation can offer benefits such as medical aid, discounts on public transport and other services, and scholarships, he says.A forward-looking Kapere explains Nanso should be up and running properly after a congress to be held next year.But with Nanso’s recent past in mind, many students might wonder whether this will be yet another false start for the organisation.- Nampa-Echoes News Service (Polytechnic)