It was a bitter-sweet moment for children of the liberation struggle on Monday when 49 of them received Namibian citizenship for the first time and 26 years after independence.
Home Affairs and Immigration Minister Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana approved the citizenship of the 49 struggle kids. Twin brothers, Andreas Kalondokwa and Simon Kalondokwa, who were born in Lubango, Angola in 1983, were among those who received their citizenship certificates, from Iivula-Ithana.
“We are Namibians, and now we have documents to prove it,” the brothers said in ecstasy. The presentation of citizenship to some of the struggle kids was followed by a national document registration and a process the Kalondokwa twins also undertook. Iivula-Ithana said the special national documents registration is not just for those based in Windhoek, but will be done throughout the country.
“She is our mother,” the struggle kids chanted, as Iivula-Ithana entered the Katutura Multi-Purpose Centre. Referring to the group as her children, Iivula-Ithana reminded them of the sacrifices their parents had made for Namibia’s liberation struggle. During the special registration exercise, qualifying individuals will be registered for Namibian citizenship, identity documents and registration of new born babies as well as issuing of birth certificates. “A communication was sent to all regional governors to invite children of the liberation struggle who do not have national documents to their respective regional offices to be assisted with the application of documents,” Iivula-Ithana said. She said government has been grappling with the issues pertaining to the normalisation of the situation of the struggle kids.
“The situation has taken understandably long and you have endured difficulties all along. For those of you who could not be employed due to lack of national documents, such a hurdle will from now on be a thing of the past,” she said. The struggle kids received citizenship by descent, citizenship granted to those who were born outside Namibia by fathers or mothers who are Namibian citizens by birth if they were born before or after independence, or are those born by fathers or mothers who have acquired Namibian citizenship.
“Therefore, children who are born by Namibian parents outside the country, including your sons and daughters, are entitled to Namibian citizenship by descent. It is only when you have acquired Namibian citizenship that you can apply for a Namibian identity card,” she told the group.
GORDON JOSEPH