Govt reacts to ‘EMADEMA Open letter’

An organization calling itself the Emancipation for the Development of the Marginalized Minorities in Namibia (EMADEMA), headed by a certain Jeremiah Kuhepa Kaambo who calls himself Founder/Director circulated an undated Open Letter to SWAPO which recently surfaced in the capital.

Although, the so-called open letter is directed to the Swapo Party its content is mainly criticizing the government with a tribal tone. Against this background government is exercising its right of reply.

Kaambo starts his so-called open letter by shamelessly claiming that 21 years ago prior to Namibia's independence "the country was sweet despite apartheid" reign. Is Kaambo truly ignorant about the brutal colonial history and the ruthless suppression of the indigenous people of this country; is he not aware of the war of genocide against the Hereros and Namas; or has he not heard about a black youth who was killed on a farm and fed to the pigs?

It is indeed preposterous to compare Namibia which is governed by rule of law with the apartheid regime prior to our hard won independence. One can fool Namibians sometimes but not on this one. Independent Namibia is a beacon of hope to all Namibians for the constitution of this country accords equality to all Namibians.

Namiblans from all walks of life enjoy freedom of movement, expression and association. Therefore, to equate Independent Namibia with the apartheid-era is absurd and ridiculous.

Kaambo continued to make his irrelevant argument that the Swapo Party was voted by all Namibians from all walks of life and trusted that the President of the country would be the redeemer of the "wishes" and the "will" of the people.

However, Kaambo claims that the President established a government which is "worst triballstic more than the apartheid government itself. This is not only unfounded but deplorable in its form and content. Therefore, must be condemned with all contempt it deserves. Kaambo is either blind or suffers from memory loss for our socio-economic development records speak for Itself.

Kaambo accused the government for only favouring those who were in exile, even though most Namibians supported the liberation struggle. Kaambo did not provide any evidence to substantiate his argument. Hence, I dismiss these unfounded allegations. The Swapo-led government distributes resources equitably to benefit all Namibians from all walks of life and political affiliation. The Ministry of Veteran Affairs pays out benefits to all liberation struggle veterans irrespective of where they served the struggle.

It seems Jeremiah Kuhepa Kaambo has a hidden agenda of spreading hatred and discord between and amongst Namibian ethnic groups. The allegation that the President Is only serving the interest of one particular group and channels government resources to the North is nothing else but an incitement against the people of that region. And this can easily inflame hatred and anger which can result into a civil strife. I therefore, wish to call on all Namibians of good will to remain calm and protect our peace, social harmony, reconciliation and national unity.

I strongly believe that the opinion expressed in the so-called open letter for the Development of the marginalized Minorities in Namibia (EMADEMA) does not represent any particular ethic group in Namibia. Although, we have heard some of the sentiments expressed by a few high profile individuals, the author himself has lost credibility in the eyes of the Namibian Nation and he is currently on the run from Justice because of fraud he allegedly committed in the country.

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