Nyango - Long journey to a resting place of Namibian heroes

One of dilapidated buildings that served as shelter for many
Namibian refugees. Photo: George Sanzila

The area of Nyango located in the Kaoma district some 400 kilometres west of Lusaka is rich in history and is likely to get a new lease of life in the near future from the Namibian government, due to the sentimental value the area holds 

as Nyango hosted countless Namibian refugees that fled their country in fear of persecution during the struggle for independence.

Even though the then South African apartheid regime relentlessly pursued Swapo fighters who had crossed over into Zambia, most Namibian refugees considered Nyango a safe haven. That the place is of significant historical importance became evident during Zambezi Regional Governor Lawrence Sampofu’s recent visit to Zambia.

Just getting to Nyango is in itself cumbersome. During a long drive from Lusaka – traversing Zambia from east to west – we veered off in a northwesterly direction off the main road to embark on yet another adventurous drive, only this time it became more challenging and time-consuming.

It took a further 35 kilometres through thick dust that refused to settle quickly in the rough gravel road that leads to Nyango. Many of the sedan vehicles forming part of the entourage failed to pass the test and had to return to the main road due to the impassable conditions of the gravel and dirt road.

We drove over six culvert structures in the Barotseland area that appear to be prone to flooding. When we finally arrived at Nyango, the sun had already set. Due to the poor conditions of the road it felt as if we had driven the mere 35 kilometres to Nyango thrice.

Arriving at the site was a sombre affair though, particularly at the gravesite where many Namibians are buried. Some structures still stand in the highly secluded area and – even though dilapidated – still serve as a reminder of the once peaceful sanctuary it offered to Namibian refugees.

The locals seemed unfazed by the official visit. Some recalled those times with bittersweet memories and greeted everyone with a grin in Oshiwambo, a language that once dominated in the refugee camp.

The visit to Nyango coincided with the commemoration of Heroes Day in Namibia and commenced with a moment of silence at the gravesite in remembrance of the fallen. Sampofu noted that it was befitting for him and his delegation to visit Nyango on Heroes Day, adding that the contribution made by these people resulted in the freedom the country enjoys today.

He further noted that Namibians buried at Nyango deserve dignified burials and that the government would continue exhuming their remains to be reburied in Namibia. 

During a courtesy call  by Sampofu the following day the minister of the western province, Poniso Njewulu, stated that many Namibians can rightfully regard the western province as a second home, due to the integral political history the region shares with Namibia.

 Many Namibian freedom fighters, including Sampofu, operated from the western province adjacent to the Angolan border.

The vice-president of Zambia, Inonge Wina, had also bemoaned the dilapidated state of the Nyango camp during an earlier interaction with Sampofu, suggesting that a joint effort was needed between the two governments to put up a school there. Sampofu also noted at the time that in memory of the fallen freedom fighters, the Namibian government was considering building a shrine in the area.

A culture-less generation.

Women from Zambezi demonstrate the art of pounding Maize.
Photo: George Sanzila

UPON an interesting conversation I had with one of the elders in the Zambezi Region, it became evident the elderly have lost confidence in today’s youth.

More so because we have drifted away from what ought to be our guiding light – culture.

He asserted that the confusion with young people today is that they have fully embraced a modern culture, of which they know nothing about.

That has culminated in the many social problems they face today – domestic violence, unemployment, poverty, rape, crime, disease and hunger.

Sadly enough, they tend to drag the elderly into their mishaps by involving parents in matters whose origins they know nothing about.

Culture is supposed to be hereditary.

It is who we are. It defines our identity and respect for one another. That simple fact has been forgotten by the youth who will jump at every opportunity to be more western than the westerners themselves.

Our culture and customs are what sustained our forefathers. It created a sanctuary for peace and co-existence unlike the present day. Losing such values is tantamount to losing yourself.

In as much as the youth scramble to urban centres in search of better education and jobs, there is a greater need to tap into the fountain of indigenous knowledge.

The few elderly people with the knowledge are not passing it on to the youth the reason being that the youth seem not to be interested or are not eager to learn and often shy away from embracing this useful wealth of wisdom. They shun their roots in the process.

Indigenous knowledge is key to our quality of life as well as our future survival as people. In Zambezi Region where I hail from, many of the youths fail to perform menial jobs as basic as pounding maize, cultivating fields and catching fish.

Yet the tasks provide the much needed food for the family. Popular culture seems to have taken its toll and it’s a worrying phenomenon.

Nutritious traditional riverine foods such as water-lilies (isoto) can only prepared by a few skilled cooks and only sold at special places at exorbitant price.

Even though the youth seem to have a growing appetite for traditional cuisine, they do not care to learn how to prepare it.

Some cite doing so is backward. Many youths without jobs go hungry in villages everyday while rivers and forests are just metres away.

This has in turn prompted the influx of foreigners who possess the skills or are eager to survive and are often employed by us. In the Zambezi Region for example, Lake Liambezi has been a hot bed for foreign fishermen because young people simply do not possess the skills to catch fish.

The paradox is that we tend to complain of the plunder of our resources when we have created an environment that allows such a situation to flourish.

We have only ourselves to blame for the exploitation of our resources by foreign nationals because we lack the knowledge and zeal to exploit them ourselves. We are becoming our own victims.

Twenty years down the line, we would be a people that have not only lost its natural resources but also a people with no cultural value, the very foundation of humanity.

Perhaps what is more worrying is the fact that the generation with the knowledge is slowly fading away.

Strategies ought to be improved by the Ministry of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture to ensure the restoration of our cultural values and customs, lest we become a cultureless society.

‘Stone City’ an idyllic recreational spot

Breath taking - Stone City at the border with Zambia  Photo: George Sanzila

People crowd the shallows of the riverbank, as the cascading water trickles over the rocks offering a cadence to the rhythms and notes of the festive season.

Not too far away a flock of birds hover lazily above the water, beckoning the rain as schools of fish negotiate the currents of the great Zambezi. Katima Mulilo is in happy festival.

Aptly named ‘Stone City’ by locals, because of the fascinating rock formations of the area, this spot has become a magnet for the residents of the town, as well as visitors, and offers a welcome escape from the hustle and bustle of life in the town and most importantly is a sanctuary from the scorching summer heat and oppressive humidity.

For first time visitors, a view of ‘Stone City’, which is nestled in a lush forest and etched against the choppy and foamy Zambezi River, can be absolutely breathtaking.

And to accentuate the splendour of this idyllic location the Zambezi/Sesheke Bridge hovers majestically over the river only a few metres away.

The only drawback is that there are no ablution facilities or parking. Perhaps it is time for the town council to pay a little more attention to ‘Stone City’, which is undoubtedly a great recreational site. Failure to do that will only lead to degradation. Already pollution is a big problem.

Fortunately the chief executive officer of Katima Mulilo Town Council, Charles Nawa, says the town council has already embarked on a de-bushing exercise aimed at improving the site.

The reputation of ‘Stone City’ has even crossed the boundaries of the country and today it attracts visitors from as far as Botswana and Zambia for the sole purpose of recreation. The area, considered somewhat of a frontier between Namibia and Zambia, lies very close to both the Wenela border border post and the Zambezi/Sesheke bridge on the outskirts of Katima Mulilo. At night, when the bridge is fully illuminated, the reflection of the giant structure in the water is astounding.

Mo Ibrahim rewards the privileged

Ambitious - Founder Mo Ibrahim

The Mo Ibrahim Foundation was established in 2006 with the aim to support good governance and great leadership in Africa. The latest recipient of the US$5 million prize money is former Cape Verde President Pedro Pires. Previous recipients include Festus Mogae of Botswana, Joaquim Chissano of Mozambique and Nelson Mandela of South Africa. The prize comprise an initial US$5 million payment followed by US$200 000 annually for life.

I do not have a problem with the aim of the prize itself - that of supporting democracy and good leadership. My problem lies with its selective approach in rewarding an individual in the form of a President. Isn't democracy born out of collective leadership involving even the nation’s citizens. Why then, should a single President be rewarded single handedly? On the other hand, why should a President be rewarded for a job they were elected to do in the first place? Doesn’t that constitute a bribery of some sort?

When Presidents are elected into office they are often bombarded with many benefits, to a point that when they leave office, most become wealthy regardless of whether they were honest or corrupt leaders during their reign. Why then, should we shower them with extravagance in the amount of of five million US Dollars? Are we really encouraging good governance or greed? Should Africa be paraded as a continent where democracy can only thrive when they're “handsome rewards”? Where is our moral fabric as patriotic Africans whose goal is to advance this continent without necessarily looking at incentives? Is this prize money even enough to discourage African leaders to stop their rot? For instance, the late Gabonese leader Omar Bongo's personal bank accounts revealed a huge amount of over 130 million US Dollars coupled with lavish properties in France. Would US$5 million discourage other potentially unscrupulous Presidents in Gabon for example? Why can’t Ibrahim instead invest his vast wealth in programmes aimed at eradicating poverty and inculcating ideals that are against greed and corruption in African Governments? Better yet, how about rewarding countries with good governance and not necessarily it's Presidents? 

Like I pointed out at the beginning of this article, I fully support the aim of this prize. It is common knowledge that citizens of such countries whose Presidents are recipients of this lucrative prize continue to live in abject poverty, hunger, disease and corruption so why reward a select few?

The Mo Ibrahim prize for achievement in African leadership as it stands is an embodiment of the ever growing gap between the rich and the poor.

God is African, but we don’t see that.

Insurmountable devastation Photo: Wikipedia

Be thankful each day. This life is not promised. What is here today could be gone tomorrow, so the adage goes and this is very true. The devastation gripping Japan today is insurmountable.  Japan’s Northeast Coast was reduced to rubble on the 11^th of March 2011 by an earthquake thereafter resulting in a Tsunami. The human suffering, the collapse of buildings, the dying of thousands upon thousands of people, the washing away of roads, houses, cars, can only be compared to a big budget   special effects induced Hollywood movie.

But this is the reality people are finding themselves in, as we speak. The Tsunami was triggered by an earthquake measured at a staggering 9.0 Magnitude. As we watch this, unfortunate, eye sore event, we must reflect on our own lives and be prepared for the unexpected. Events of this magnitude and the aftermath that follows should be a blueprint for our own existence in terms of being appreciative, pro-active and working towards our goal like there’s no tomorrow.

This Tsunami is likely to be the world’s costliest natural disaster, estimated at 309 billion Dollars. It’s inevitable that this catastrophe would drag the economy down and therefore foreign aid  is of vital importance. Japan has always been a symbol of technological advancement and prosperity. It is the world’s third largest economy. Japan is a leading nation in scientific research particularly technology.

Japan  is an island nation in Asia, a continent so prone to natural disasters such as these. In fact Japan is located in a volcanic zone on the pacific ring of fire. This is not the first natural disaster to occur in Japan and it won’t be the last, but the commitment, hard work and determination of Japanese people to foster their own pleasant survival and destiny through innovation is quite refreshing.

So, why am I writing this article? The answer is simple, two things come to my mind. First, is the perseverance and resilience of people of Japan and Asia in general. Secondly it is their desire to  overcome any challenges and succeed, traits we greatly lack in Africa. It’s just a matter of time before Japan prevails yet again, surpassing standards, that for us, would have taken decades to achieve. Colonialism and self pity aside, as lucky as we are in Africa, in terms of geographical location on planet earth with untapped abundant natural resources, so vast that we could survive on our own, we use our energies and intellect to either fuel wars, engage in power struggles, corruption and other social evils that have become so synonymous with Africa.

Exactly, what is wrong with Africa? Can you imagine what would happen, if these natural disasters were to occur in Africa? 

So in the aftermath of all these natural disasters, let’s reflect  in hindsight and assure the world as Africans that we can do it. Let’s stop with the blame game and face realities. Now more than ever, is the right time, with so much of our people highly educated and most of them in their prime, now is the time to drive this great continent into prosperity. Let's awaken the spirit of the African renaissance.

Viva La Revolucion!

A wind of change is sweeping across North Africa and the Middle East.  Anti-government protests that began in Tunisia have replicated sending shivers down the spines of long serving leaders in Africa, that continue to be heartless towards their own people. The “Domino effect" seem to have taken its toll.

Most leaders, specifically in Africa, tend to lose focus of why they are elected into office in the first place. What is most worrying is their tendency to lose touch with the electorate and often they adopt this “super human persona” that pushes them further and further away from the people.  People vote for leaders because, they believe that, they can bring change into their lives.  Most of the protests that are taking place, starting from Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen, Algeria, Bahrain and now Libya, have commonalities. Mostly these protests are fueled by the youth, who feel disenfranchised and that they are not included in economic activities of the country. Too often, our leaders feel too much comfortable in their chauffeur driven Limos and multi-million Dollar Presidential palaces and tend to forget the poverty and reality people live in.

The pro-democracy protests gripping the Arab world are similar and should not come as a surprise in that, protesters are fighting for one cause - “their welfare”. The latest country to join in these protests is Libya. Libya has an unemployment rate of about 21 %, believed to be the highest in the region despite its oil resources. Its leader, Muammar Gaddafi, has been in power since 1969. Commonalities in Arab countries that are faced with this massive “sea of change” are abundant. All have oil resources, long serving leaders, high unemployment rates and no significant change in terms of fighting corruption, unemployment and poverty.

This “revolution” should serve as an eye opener for those non-performing leaders (specifically in other African countries), that they are where they are because of people and people need positive change. Viva la revolucion!

May we all live abundantly!

Here is a toast to the new year

Hallo everyone. The New Year has begun and this is my first post. A lot of people have what they call New Year resolutions for each year. Personally I concentrate on working on my goals everyday, which are long term. Call it whatever you wish, the question is whether those goals/resolutions are met at the end of the day.

This year calls for hard work. I have seen a number of young people setting themselves what I would call "naive goals" such as working towards buying themselves fancy cars. Before you do that, especially those that don't have much financial clout ask yourself, what would be the benefit from this in the long run?

Would this help stabilise my financials in the near future? If the answer is no, please try to play it low this year. For something that depreciates, buy it at an affordable price so that in future you don't find yourself in a situation that brings you more  closer to financial stress. Believe me, they would be better times, when you adopt a saving culture.  When you have something set aside (an investment for example), even when you go broke today, there is a sense of security and pride left in you. 

The stage has been set and it's time we get ourselves out of the shackles of debt, create wealth for ourselves, our children and our children's children.

May we all live abundantly and productive this year.

Winnie Mandela needs to allow her wounds to heal.

Nelson and Winnie Mandela during their wedding

I have a lot of respect for the contribution that Winnie Mandela has made in South Africa, in ensuring that the country becomes free from the yoke of apartheid. The struggle for South Africa's freedom was indeed a cumbersome and a protracted process. I also understand, the emotional pain she had to go through given the fact that her husband was jailed for such a long time and the struggle of trying to keep the family together during that time.

It must have been very hard for her. The divorce made things even worse because, here we have people who have been together for much of their trials and tribulations and then, bang!!! everything comes to an end. And this was a time when they were supposed to be together and rejoice over their triumph. As fate would have it something along the line didn't go well. But should Winnie Mandela go on a crusade to discredit Mandela by saying he betrayed the people by accepting the Noble peace prize alongside F.W De Klerk? Why was the policy of national reconciliation adopted in the first place? What was the purpose of the truth and reconciliation commission? Will living in a South Africa where people still have "unfinished business" push the country forward? Does Winnie know, the immense benefits, forgiveness has on the person forgiving than the one forgiven?

Is the reference to South Africa as a "Rainbow nation" a farce?

People of Mandela's calibre are rare and that's what makes people like him stand out. He is simply a great man.

Why are we being hypocrites?

Late President of Gabon Omar Bongo

The President of Gabon, Omar Bongo passed away recently. I have come across his name a couple of times, even though I did not know much about him as a President. From what I gather, he was Africa's longest serving leader and the world after Fidel Castro stepped down in 2008 in exception of monarchies of course. He took power in 1967.

A couple of months ago, when I was watching news on TV, his name was mentioned as one of a few African leaders being investigated for alleged corruption. Bongo, was a rich man and much of his wealth come from the oil revenue, a resource the country prides itself in. He was much of a dictator and gained much of his wealth at the expense of the impoverished populace of Gabon, and when such a leader passes on and people shower them with praises, it only brings to light the hypocrisy that has become so widespread. Our very own speaker of the national assembly, Theo Ben Gurirab described him as a person who stood for what he believed in and very controversial at times, as he differed in ideologies and strategies with the Swapo party during struggle years. Yet, the speaker, found a way of redeeming himself by praising Bongo, as someone who reminded the African diaspora about mother Africa. We all know, that, he owns so much wealth, particularly in France while the masses in Gabon suffer.

Is it not time, we change our pretentious culture, and call a spade a spade. What's with African leaders wanting to cling  onto power for as long as they live, like they own us. There's no doubt that, Bongo will go down into the annals of history as someone who only tried and successfully enriched himself and his cronies. I guess, the dead no matter how they have adversely affected our lives deserve respect. After all it's our last respect to them.

Light at the end of the tunnel?

The world is facing one of largest economic crisis

If you are economically handcaped, jut like me, I am sure you have come across words like, world economic meltdown, financial crunch, economic crisis, recession...the list goes on. These are the terms meant to describe the situation that the world finds itself in today.

More and more people have lost their jobs and more still continue to loose them, because providers of employment in the world are going bankrupt. We have not seen much of an impact in Namibia, of course except for industries such as mining, where workers are likely to be retrenched. Even though, we seem to be on the safer side, if this crisis persists, we might begin to feel the pinch. If the G20 meeting of the world's strongest economies is anything to go by, we might go on unscathed.

The leaders of the afore- mentioned economies have reached a crucial agreement worth one trillion US Dollars to help ease the impact of the global financial crisis. This is a effort because it means economies of the world would be revived and stimulated and thus more and more industries would begin to absorb people in jobs. It's good also due the fact that, this is a world crisis and dealing with the problem individually would prove to be difficult. The good thing, that I mostly applaud is the assurance that, more stricter laws would be put into place to regulate finances, for we find ourselves in this mess, because of relaxed, senseless-good for nothing laws that were exercised by particularly American banks.

We would love to see leaders full-filling this pledge and monitoring progress of the situation at hand. A world where jobs are scarce and banks are broke, would only lead to chaos.