Namibia: Former Refugees Protest At Swapo HQ Opening

Swapo's inauguration of its national headquarters in Windhoek yesterday was overshadowed by protest posters erected by a group of former refugees repatriated in 1989, who are demanding access to alleged funds linked to their return.

The group, which has been camping at the premises since October last year, used the event attended by party leaders, supporters and international guests to amplify long-standing grievances.

These include claims of unpaid benefits and demands for money they say is owed through the United Nations (UN).

"In 1989 returnees traded by Swapo [for] United Nations money. Our children are abandoned. Bring our UN money," one of the posters reads.

Chairperson Matheus Nangolo told The Namibian yesterday that the group had coordinated with party members on where to place the posters.

"We agreed with Swapo members where to erect the posters, that's why you see no one is touching these posters," he said.

Nangolo said members of the group were deployed during the event to ensure the posters were not removed as crowds gathered for the inauguration of the new building and the party's 66th anniversary celebrations.

He said the group remains at the site to press for unresolved repatriation grievances, saying that legal action is being considered.

"We are currently also saving money as a group to take Swapo to court," Nangolo said.

He said they are working with a lawyer.

The group alleges they have been abandoned since returning to Namibia and insists they are entitled to funds linked to their repatriation.

The protest unfolded as the party officially opened its new headquarters, a project which, according to media reports, cost about N$600 million and took more than a decade to complete.

Meanwhile, speaking at the headquarters' inauguration, president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah said the cost of the building had exceeded initial projections of between N$600 million and N$700 million.

She said the final figure had risen to more than N$900 million.

The new headquarters, she said, consists of eight floors and about 150 offices, and includes a congress hall with a seating capacity of 1 500 people, a media room and an amphitheatre.

The amphitheatre has been named after founding president Sam Nujoma and will be known as Sam Nujoma Square.

Read the original article on Namibian.