Struggle kids camp at police training centreNext batch to go for training next week Despite orders to return home and wait their turn for training, close to 300 struggle kids are camping at a police training centre in Ondangwa. About 80 children of the liberation struggle are picketing outside the Ruben Danger Ashipala Police Training Centre in Ondangwa while close to 200 are camping inside the facility.The group at the entrance are those who were camping at the Swapo Party regional office at Okandjengedi in Oshakati, while those inside the facility were brought in by the Namibian Defence Force (NDF) on Saturday.
It is said that the group camping inside the facility were marching to the Simon Mutumba Police Training Centre in the Zambezi Region but the government intervened when they reached a certain border post. Six NDF trucks were provided to transport them to the Ruben Danger Ashipala Police Training Centre instead.
One of the leaders of those camping outside, Petrus Haipinge, told Namibian Sun that they decided to walk there from Oshakati on Monday because they felt no different from those allowed to camp inside the government facility.
Haipinge said Oshana regional governor Clemens Kashuupulwa addressed the group camping inside the facility and instructed them to leave but they refused.
“We understand that those camping inside the police training centre were told to leave the premises because they are illegally there but they are still inside and it was on this basis we decided to come and camp here,” Haipinge said.
“We will only move from here when those inside move out and we will go where government will take them. We are not different from them,” Haipinge added.
Kashuupulwa confirmed that he addressed the group camping inside on Tuesday. He said he explained to them that the stance of the government is very clear - they must return to their homes and wait to be called for training.
Kashuupulwa said he told the group that the government had promised that another group will be sent for training at Plessisplaas Youth Skills Training Centre in the Omaheke Region before Friday next week.
“I just went there to remind them of what they were already informed about by the committee which is dealing with the training and job creation of those kids, that they are supposed to go back to their homes waiting until next week not later than Friday as they will be called from their homes in their respective regions to go for training,” Kashuupulwa said.
Asked why the group camping inside were brought to Ondangwa, Kashuupulwa said it was because most of the struggle kids are from the four O-regions and because Ondangwa is centrally located.
The governor said no provision had been made to feed and house the protesters and it would be better for them to go home.
KENYA KAMBOWE