EDITORIAL: There is wisdom in listening
This week, a Zimbabwean chartered accountant caused quite a stir when he discussed his 10-month experience working as a foreigner in Namibia and the reasons he had to leave for the United Kingdom.
As of late yesterday, 1.9 million people had seen his tweet.
Namibians went into overdrive. How dare he question our laws, some asked. Others said Zimbabweans should be the last to speak ill of other countries, given where they are coming from.
These are the same Namibians who scaled hillsides to denounce the United Kingdom for recently ending its visa-free travel there, but wouldn’t allow foreigners to share their lived experiences here at home.
There is wisdom in listening, especially when no one is questioning the veracity of the Zimbabwean accountant’s observations. True, when it comes to employment and other economic activity in our country, Namibians must continue to be a country mile ahead of the queue.
But there has to be decency, empathy and dignity in the way we treat foreigners legally working or living here. Some have been working in the country for 15 years, yet they are unable to make long-term plans for their life due to the uncertainty surrounding their next application for renewal.
They cannot invest in any meaningful assets such as a house or even a car, yet we are clinging to them for 15 years. Our nationhood is a product of international solidarity, but we seem to have conveniently forgotten how kind-heartedly the world treated us in our hour of need.
As of late yesterday, 1.9 million people had seen his tweet.
Namibians went into overdrive. How dare he question our laws, some asked. Others said Zimbabweans should be the last to speak ill of other countries, given where they are coming from.
These are the same Namibians who scaled hillsides to denounce the United Kingdom for recently ending its visa-free travel there, but wouldn’t allow foreigners to share their lived experiences here at home.
There is wisdom in listening, especially when no one is questioning the veracity of the Zimbabwean accountant’s observations. True, when it comes to employment and other economic activity in our country, Namibians must continue to be a country mile ahead of the queue.
But there has to be decency, empathy and dignity in the way we treat foreigners legally working or living here. Some have been working in the country for 15 years, yet they are unable to make long-term plans for their life due to the uncertainty surrounding their next application for renewal.
They cannot invest in any meaningful assets such as a house or even a car, yet we are clinging to them for 15 years. Our nationhood is a product of international solidarity, but we seem to have conveniently forgotten how kind-heartedly the world treated us in our hour of need.
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Namibian Sun
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