Streets should foster national pride - Kafula

Windhoek Mayor Agnes Kafula says streets around the city should bear the names of national and African heroes to give people a “sense of pride”. Kafula made the remark at the renaming ceremony of Uhland Street to Dr Kenneth David Kaunda Street yesterday. “This means when they walk or drive through the city, it won’t feel like they are in someone else’s country or continent, but they will experience home,” said Kafula. She made the remarks in the presence of Kaunda, Founding President Sam Nujoma and Prime Minister Hage Geingob, among other dignitaries. Branching off from Sam Nujoma Drive, the street stretches over 2.3 kilometres from Klein Windhoek to Independence Avenue. The City of Windhoek had named another, shorter street in Katutura after Kaunda, which the Zambian community in Namibia felt was not befitting. That street in Freedom Square will be renamed soon, City CEO Niilo Taapopi said at yesterday’s event. According to Kafula, Africans of all colours will not be truly liberated or free if the face of their cities and towns do not reflect the mixed cultures of all the people. “As Africans, we have overcome many obstacles in our long walk to a life of dignity. “Dignity is very much what the naming and re-naming process of some streets around the city is all about. “We will cherish our current and fallen leaders’ wisdom and we know that just as they tirelessly fought for our freedom, human rights and dignity, their names will carry on their legacy for generations.” Kaunda, 89, was Zambia’s first president and assisted Namibians during the armed liberation struggle. The renaming of the street is the second gift to the Zambian former president. Over the weekend he received a N$13 million house in central Windhoek from the Namibian government. Yesterday, Kaunda said the street renaming was another “deep expression of love of the people of Namibia”. “The honour you have given me today is one that I share with the people of Namibia in the independence struggle,” said Kaunda. “During the struggle, many Namibian people attended educational institutions in Zambia; hundreds of Zambians now come to the University of Namibia and other institutions. “The street reminds us about our common past and as we have done before, the need to work together towards a future of development and peace within our nations, the region and the world.” WINDHOEK ELVIS MURARANGANDA