Tujoromajo Kasuto
Activists Dimbulukeni Nauyoma and Michael Saddam Amushelelo, who were recently released from prison after three months in detention, have formed a new association to fight for the economic freedom of black people in Namibia, particularly the youth.
The association plans to do this by hosting a mass national protest on Tuesday, 25th October
2022 in Windhoek. This protest is aimed at reforming the laws and institutions that are a stumbling block to national prosperity.
‘’We shall petition institutions that continue to oppress our people. The aim of the protest is to call on the nationalisation of our resources and strategic sectors of the economy,’’ they state. ‘’We are going to give a detailed briefing on the protest, the nationalisation of the natural process of strategic sectors of the economy. Where we are because of the lack of proper laws in place that are affecting us and this needs to be dealt with,’’ Nauyoma said in an interview with the Windhoek Observer.
He stated that the first house they will visit is parliament because there are specific issues with
specific laws that they want parliament to address in order for black people to have access to participate in the economy without any hindrance and without any legislative stumbling blocks.
‘’Then we have these institutions that are lending that are supposed to give us money, remember banks are more than willing to fund people on a daily basis so they can go and get debt but never to go and produce substantive projects,’’ he said.
He notes the act of parliament that legislates for citizens to have public banks, which are placed in the hands of the political elite and ‘’kassi buzzas’’.
He said opportunities that are meant for the youth are depleted and utilized by other people while they are struggling.
‘’We have ministers who are giving out waivers to people with debts under his affirmative actions, but ministers do not give loans when there is a group of young people who want to apply for funding,’’ Nauyoma asserted.
Meanwhile, on the protest they state that history informs us that Ethiopians, Natives in general
and Black Namibians in particular have been segregated economically through a colonial and
apartheid system that is being sustained through the draconian laws imposed on them.
‘’This dark history is sustained through the back doors by the enemies of the people, and is camouflaged in the name of black petty bourgeois, political elites and others. This manifestation ensured that we are at the periphery of the economic question and the means of production. Thus we must take practical steps through the protest action to champion an Economic Emancipation National Protest,’’ he said.
Those that wish to represent their towns should email on info@bpeea.com with their full names, contact details and towns. From the 24th September 2022 an induction process of the committees shall commence.’’
The mineral wealth, the banks and monopoly industry shall be transferred to the ownership of the people as a whole, other industry and trade shall be controlled to assist the well-being of the people, according to the activists. ‘’We must have equal rights to trade where we choose, to manufacture and to enter all trades, crafts and professions. This Economic Freedom we will fight for, throughout our lives, until we have emancipated our people. Let it be remembered that where law becomes injustice it shall face resistance,’’ the duo notes.
The establishment of the Black People Economic Emancipation Association is done with the sole purpose for give black people genuine and practical Economic Power.
The association shall have presentations across the country in all 57 localities to ensure that all indigenous black Namibians are empowered with economic knowledge.
The association will commit itself to organize and unite black people to act with one purpose of becoming economic superpowers. The association shall be tasked with the awakening of black people in creating generational wealth by getting access to equal distribution of the means of production.
