Struggle "kids" or simply the struggle is real?
By Romeo Mungamba
More often than not we hear, see and all over social media platforms view, images of the struggle kids’ unruly behaviour over their demands to be provided for by government with either food, or shelter or both, and that they are provided jobs - but the question is, is this economic hardship in the country hitting the struggle kids only or is the struggle just as real for everybody in this 21st century economic and political era full of turmoil?
Before I unveil or state further my initial argument, I would like to acknowledge fellow citizens that might take offense and offer my deepest apologies if they feel victimised, but the intention of this script is to help to improve and evolve the perception of many fellow Namibians rather than displeasing anyone and while, of course, I am speaking under correction. To work towards inclusive nation building by all and as the president put it “No one should be left out”, please allow me a space to state my outlook on these regard.
Starting off by reflecting on the numbers of the registered struggle kids and making a comparison with the overall number of the affected youth, one will perceive that most ironically, even those who are the struggle kids fall under national youth category. Now this brings me to my next point, which is, why some people must feel special to make all kinds of demands and hope the government falls at their feet so that they “walk the red carpet”. To my knowledge the moment they fall under the youth category it becomes evident that we, all youth, are in fact affected. For example in Namibia the legal age to be considered a youth is from 16 to 39. And with our country getting its independence 26 years ago, this only means that the “the struggle kids”, fall exactly under the youth of this nation too. Thus reflecting on my personal experience I personally too fall under the same circumstances, but the difference being that perhaps in my lifetime my stern guardians chose a different path for me, acknowledging that in general everyone’s parents were affected by the colonial period as it did not make provision for any special certain black community. Therefore from an early age like many others, we were taught and raised by either extended or biological economically and politically deprived families, but someone always emphasised how important education was and why you needed to choose the long path of education over that of shortcut (wandering or working youth).
Today’s Namibia has free primary and secondary education being offered and the policy applicability tenure shouldn’t matter because even before the implementation of the law, the government schools were prohibited from exiling any Namibian learners (child) on basis of not paying the needed school fund.
Therefore even 26 years into independence, I find it very strange and amusing that one still considers themselves as a struggle kid - a term that neither helps to psychologically boost one’s confidence but it instead demoralises you, pushing you downward, thus the ”struggle” is from what? If every youth is affected by the same economic and political implications nationwide? If that’s not what we all are going through than what is the special struggle here? In my opinion it’s not the struggle kids, it is “the struggle is real” for everyone. My argument is that every youth – be they old or young - everyone wants as little of something like shelter, clothing and food, but due to the economic hardship, be it black or white - we all feel the pinch caused by the highly inflated prices, but we cannot and shall not take our frustration out on others, besides acknowledging our own contribution for the wrong choices and failures we have endured. We do this instead of causing massive destruction or vandalising state buildings, material or equipment for our voices to be heard and for our needs to be attended to. That is if we still want to continue enhancing the spirit of stability and peace, the legacy we have enjoyed this far. In order to help create a conducive environment in Namibia, we should create platforms that allow all affected stakeholders involved to enter into a productive and effective dialogue, but of course, I concede that in the Namibian context the government should show readiness to enable to enter into responsive agreements with the affected parties and cut the bureaucratic red tape system of deliberately prolonging every decision to be made. This always creates the escalation of tensions and heightens an aggressive atmosphere and the ever-growing impatience of the Namibian people.
*Romeo Mungamba is a third-year student studying towards a Bachelor of Public Management (Honours) at the University of Namibia.
More often than not we hear, see and all over social media platforms view, images of the struggle kids’ unruly behaviour over their demands to be provided for by government with either food, or shelter or both, and that they are provided jobs - but the question is, is this economic hardship in the country hitting the struggle kids only or is the struggle just as real for everybody in this 21st century economic and political era full of turmoil?
Before I unveil or state further my initial argument, I would like to acknowledge fellow citizens that might take offense and offer my deepest apologies if they feel victimised, but the intention of this script is to help to improve and evolve the perception of many fellow Namibians rather than displeasing anyone and while, of course, I am speaking under correction. To work towards inclusive nation building by all and as the president put it “No one should be left out”, please allow me a space to state my outlook on these regard.
Starting off by reflecting on the numbers of the registered struggle kids and making a comparison with the overall number of the affected youth, one will perceive that most ironically, even those who are the struggle kids fall under national youth category. Now this brings me to my next point, which is, why some people must feel special to make all kinds of demands and hope the government falls at their feet so that they “walk the red carpet”. To my knowledge the moment they fall under the youth category it becomes evident that we, all youth, are in fact affected. For example in Namibia the legal age to be considered a youth is from 16 to 39. And with our country getting its independence 26 years ago, this only means that the “the struggle kids”, fall exactly under the youth of this nation too. Thus reflecting on my personal experience I personally too fall under the same circumstances, but the difference being that perhaps in my lifetime my stern guardians chose a different path for me, acknowledging that in general everyone’s parents were affected by the colonial period as it did not make provision for any special certain black community. Therefore from an early age like many others, we were taught and raised by either extended or biological economically and politically deprived families, but someone always emphasised how important education was and why you needed to choose the long path of education over that of shortcut (wandering or working youth).
Today’s Namibia has free primary and secondary education being offered and the policy applicability tenure shouldn’t matter because even before the implementation of the law, the government schools were prohibited from exiling any Namibian learners (child) on basis of not paying the needed school fund.
Therefore even 26 years into independence, I find it very strange and amusing that one still considers themselves as a struggle kid - a term that neither helps to psychologically boost one’s confidence but it instead demoralises you, pushing you downward, thus the ”struggle” is from what? If every youth is affected by the same economic and political implications nationwide? If that’s not what we all are going through than what is the special struggle here? In my opinion it’s not the struggle kids, it is “the struggle is real” for everyone. My argument is that every youth – be they old or young - everyone wants as little of something like shelter, clothing and food, but due to the economic hardship, be it black or white - we all feel the pinch caused by the highly inflated prices, but we cannot and shall not take our frustration out on others, besides acknowledging our own contribution for the wrong choices and failures we have endured. We do this instead of causing massive destruction or vandalising state buildings, material or equipment for our voices to be heard and for our needs to be attended to. That is if we still want to continue enhancing the spirit of stability and peace, the legacy we have enjoyed this far. In order to help create a conducive environment in Namibia, we should create platforms that allow all affected stakeholders involved to enter into a productive and effective dialogue, but of course, I concede that in the Namibian context the government should show readiness to enable to enter into responsive agreements with the affected parties and cut the bureaucratic red tape system of deliberately prolonging every decision to be made. This always creates the escalation of tensions and heightens an aggressive atmosphere and the ever-growing impatience of the Namibian people.
*Romeo Mungamba is a third-year student studying towards a Bachelor of Public Management (Honours) at the University of Namibia.
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