A Public Lecture by His Excellency

A PUBLIC LECTURE BY HIS EXCELLENCY DR. SAM NUJOMA, FOUNDING PRESIDENT AND FATHER OF THE NAMIBIAN NATION, ON THE OCCASION OF THE SECOND CELEBRATION OF THE “12 MAY MOVEMENT”

UNDER THE THEME: “THE NAMIBIAN YOUTH AND THE STRUGGLE FOR NAMIBIA’S ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE”

12 MAY 2013

ONAWA YA KILIANA VILLAGE OKATANA CONSTITUENCY OSHANA REGION

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1 | P a g e Director of Ceremonies; Your Excellency, Comrade Dr. Hifikepunye Pohamba, President of the Republic of Namibia and of the SWAPO Party; And Madam Penexupifo Pohamba, First Lady of the Republic of Namibia; Right Honourable Prime Minister, Comrade Dr. Hage Geingob, and Vice President of the SWAPO Party; Honourable Comrade Nangolo Mbumba, Secretary General of the SWAPO Party; Honourable Comrade Laura McLeod Katjirua, Deputy Secretary General of the SWAPO Party; Honourable Ministers and Deputy Ministers present; Honourable Members of Parliament present; Your Excellencies, Members of the Diplomatic Corps; Honourable Governor of Oshana Region, Comrade Clemence Kashuupulwa; Tatekulu Ndilimani Iipumbu, Chief of Uukwambi Traditional Authority; Distinguished Regional and Local Authorities Councillors; Secretary of the SWAPO Party Youth League, Comrade Dr. Elijah Ngurare, and all Members of the National Executive and Central Committee of the SWAPO Party Youth League (SPYL); Distinguished Comrades Youth Representatives of Sister Parties; Comrade Members of the SWAPO Party Pioneer Movement; Distinguished Invited Guests; Members of the Media; Comrades and Friends:

2 | P a g e I feel deeply honoured for the invitation extended to me to join you here today to attend the second “12 MAY MOVEMENT” This 12 May Movement is a second series of similar event launched in Swakopmund last year by the SWAPO Party Youth League.

I therefore sincerely thank the SWAPO Party Youth League (SPYL) for organising this event and for giving me the opportunity and privilege to address our youth at this auspicious occasion. This is indeed a commendable effort.

I take this opportunity to extend a warm welcome and express my profound appreciation to the youth representatives of sister Parties, for joining us at this momentous celebration.

Our bonds of solidarity and friendship span many years before Namibia’s freedom and independence. We shared similar platforms, as we mobilized the international community to support the just cause of our freedom. Our guerrilla fighters fought in the same trenches to end racism, apartheid, and colonial oppression.

May this milestone celebration serve to cement the ties of friendship that bind us to a common destiny.

As we celebrate this occasion, we should at the same time pay tribute to the sacrifices and patriotism of many of our brave sons and daughters who paid with blood to ensure that today we are a free people determining our own future destiny.

Director of Ceremonies;

This place where we are gathered evokes for us fond memories and recollection. It is here on the 8th of October, 1989, I addressed the first historic SWAPO Star-Rally in the northern parts of our country which was attended by closed to hundred-thousand (100,000) people.

This happened on the eve of Namibia’s first ever general elections held under the supervision of the United Nations in line with the implementation of the UN Security Council’s Resolution 435 which ushered in our independence on the 21st of March 1990.

I believe that most of the youth gathered here today are born-frees. It is therefore befitting that we share with them our experiences. For this purpose, I have been requested to present a public lecture on the theme: “The Namibian youth and the struggle for Namibia’s economic independence.”

Bearing in mind that armed with the knowledge of our past, we can with confidence chart a course for our future, before I elaborate on the topic, I would like to briefly recap the important role played by the youth of yesteryear in the national struggle for Namibia’s independence, particularly covering the period between the late 1950’s and 1990.

In 1960, we formed SWAPO as a mass based movement mobilizing all progressive forces in our country towards the attainment of our genuine freedom and independence. These were the youth, the workers, peasants, including women.

Guided by this objective, SWAPO decided to pursue simultaneously a three-pronged strategy, namely; to carry out effective mass political mobilization inside the country; to carry out effective international political and diplomatic campaigns aimed at isolating the South African white apartheid regime; and to 3 | P a g e carry out effective military campaign against the enemy forces, while simultaneously sending some of the cadres for further studies in friendly countries.

Our youth at the time were instrumental for the success of our struggle as they spearheaded this strategy on all fronts. Our great success in keeping up the war inside Namibia and defeated the enemy forces was due to the mobility of our fighters who could cover great distances on foot because they were young, enduring, and resourceful and committed.

As the struggle intensified, the need arised to energise the structures of the movement that respond effectively to the challenges we faced.

In this regard, the Tanga’s Consultative Congress held in Tanzania from the 26 December 1969 to 2 nd January 1970 created several organs to operate alongside the mother body. These are: PLAN, SWAPO Youth League, National Union of Namibian Worker, amongst others.

It is against this background that the SWAPO Youth League was formed to mobilize all the youth of Namibia to join the Peoples Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) SWAPO’s Military Wing.

Consequently, the SWAPO Youth League emerged, especially during 1973, as one of the most courageous, militant and uncompromising forces in the liberation struggle led by SWAPO.

Internal SWAPO Youth Leaders such as Comrades Jerry Ekandjo, Joseph Kashea, David Shikomba, Israel Taapopi, Martin Kapewasha, Daniel Tjongarero, Hendrik Witbooi including church leaders under the banner of the Council of Churches in Namibia (CCN) such as Bishop Leonard Auala, Bishop Kleopas Dumeni to mention but a few, stood out as some of those who steadfastly and fearlessly confronted the repressive apartheid regime inside Namibia.

The intensification of mass political mobilization of the youth by the SWAPO Youth League led to the exodus of many young people into exile in 1974.

On the diplomatic front, SWAPO youth leaders in exile mobilized the international community to support the just cause of our struggle. Among them comrades Dr. Hage Geingob, Dr. Theo Ben Gurirab, Dr. Nicky Iyambo, Dr. Libertina Amathila, Nahas Angula, Nangolo Mbumba among others represented SWAPO, while pursuing their studies in various countries.

Comrade Hage Geingob was entrusted to head the United Nations Institute for Namibia (UNIN) in Lusaka Zambia where thousands of Namibian youth were trained in various fields of study in order to run the country after independence.

Names of leaders such as Hon. Comrade Pendukeni Ivula-Iithana, Hon. Comrade Dr. Albert Kawana, our Chief Justice Peter Shivute and Judge President Petrus Damaseb, among others were products of the United Nations Institute for Namibia (UNIN) under the able leadership of Cde Hage Geingob.

It is my strong conviction that in the spirit reflective of the founding generation of the SWAPO Youth League, this generation will do everything in its power to re-energise the Namibian youth to be a fighting force for economic independence in order to eradicate poverty, disease and ignorance from the face of our country and the entire continent of Africa.

4 | P a g e Needless to say, the challenges before the current generation are as daunting, as those that faced the youth of yesteryear but they are not insurmountable.

Director of Ceremonies;

The theme: “The Namibian youth and the struggle for Namibia’s economic independence” is an all- encompassing theme imploring all the youth of Namibia to unite with the clear purpose of building a prosperous nation.

You will agree with me that the struggle for economic independence will be more difficult. Therefore, all the youth should be equipped with adequate knowledge and skills in order to contribute meaningfully to the socio-economic development of our country.

Of particular importance, we should embark upon a knowledge-based economy, scientific research, proper planning and hard work in order to succeed.

For us to compete favourably with the rest of the international economy, we should prioritise the study of science, mathematics and information communication technology, right from the kindergarten up to the university level. These are the subjects that will enable us to produce our own doctors, engineers, agriculturalists, marine biologists, geologists, amongst others.

Since independence, our Government made efforts to create a conducive environment for the development of our youth. We have established the University of Namibia, the University of Science and Technology formerly called Polytechnic of Namibia, Vocational Training Centres as well as Teacher Training Colleges now forming part of UNAM.

Now that our government has decided to provide free universal primary education, the onus lies with the youth of Namibia to make use of the opportunities availed by the government and become useful and productive citizens.

Entrepreneurship and innovation are important catalyst to economic growth of many countries. I, therefore urge our youth to embark upon creating business entities that creates wealth and employment opportunities for our people.

As you are aware, our country is endowed with abundant natural resources, yet we have not made concrete efforts to enhance them to benefit our people economically.

For this reason, the youth of our country are now called upon to ensure that they become business entrepreneurs. By so doing, we will be able to realize vision 2030. In order to succeed, the cultivation of entrepreneurship should go hand in hand with the utilization of Information and Communication Technology (ICT).

Indeed, the advancement of technology especially in the Information and Communication Technology (ICT) sector has presented various viable opportunities that the youth can explore to better their future.

5 | P a g e Director of Ceremonies

A people without cultural norms and traditional values, is like a tree without roots. Therefore, the youth as future leaders of our country should embrace and promote our cultural values and traditional norms in order to create a strong national identity. In the same vein, the youth should respect their elders as well as traditional and community leaders.

I am concerned about accounts of misbehavior and criminal activities carried out by some of our youth. They have lost direction and engage in negative behaviours that destroy their lives and their future.

If one visits our prisons today, the majority of inmates there are the youth incarcerated because of crimes ranging from murder, robberies, domestic violence and the killing of women and children.

Surely, a crime ridden generation such as this cannot definitely become future leaders. I, therefore, urge all our youth to avoid engaging in negative behaviours including alcohol and drug abuse and start contributing to the development of our country.

Director of Ceremonies

The youth are the future leaders of our country. The contemporary leadership in all fields of human endeavour are about to retire. We are expecting the youth to follow in our footsteps. However, I would like to caution that leadership comes with responsibility. It also requires hard work and commitment.

Our President, Comrade Hifikepunye Pohamba that you see here, his leadership did not start yesterday. He has proven himself as a capable and able leader from the time he was a young man. He is one of the founder members of SWAPO, when he joined at a tender age. Over the years during the struggle, he distinguished himself as a torch bearer and political strategist, yet humble and committed cadre.

I, therefore, urge all the youth of Namibia to follow in his revolutionary footsteps and be ready to defend our territorial integrity, airspace and territorial waters.

In conclusion, I call upon our youth to re-dedicate themselves to the ideals of national unity and patriotism.

Remember: a united people striving to achieve the common good for all members of the society, will always emerge victorious.

Long Live the Namibian Youth! Long Live the Republic of Namibia!

I thank you.

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