🇳🇦NamibiaSouthern Africa
Children of war veterans born in exile camp at veterans affairs office in Windhoek, demand recognition
via The Namibian4 min read
Children of war veterans born in exile have been camping at the veterans affairs office in Windhoek for seven months, demanding recognition from the Namibian government. The group, consisting of about 20 individuals, states they will not leave until their demands are met. They argue that despite their parents being registered war veterans, they are not recognized, as the Veterans Act only provides benefits to children of war veterans under the age of 18. Many in the group were under 18 at the time of Namibia's independence, but the act was only enacted in 2008. John Amadhila, one of the campers, stated they were previously registered for jobs under various ministries but were later moved to the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sport, Arts and Culture. The group has petitioned the Office of the Prime Minister, the president, parliament, and the Ministry of Defence and Veterans Affairs. The parliamentary standing committee on constitutional and legal affairs has acknowledged the issue and recommended that the veterans affairs ministry, along with the Ministry of Justice and Labour Relations, review or amend the Veterans Act to accommodate all children born in exile during the liberation struggle. Helvi Amukwaya and Ndapunikwa David, both born in exile, expressed their frustration, with David highlighting the emotional toll and the inadequacy of past training programs. Veteran affairs minister Frans Kapofi reiterated that the Veterans Act only supports dependants under
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This summary was AI-generated from a story originally published by The Namibian.
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