Renthia Kaimbi
Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa has asked protesters camping outside the party’s national headquarters in Windhoek to vacate the premises by Tuesday morning.
This follows talks involving senior officials from the United Nations (UN) regarding funds for the repatriation process from exile.
In a notice to vacate issued on Sunday, which states that all tents and belongings must be removed from the premises by 10h00 on Tuesday.
The demonstrators, led by Joseph Amutenya, are Namibians who returned from exile under UN supervision in 1989.
They have been camping at the headquarters since 22 October 2025.
They demand clarity on long-standing claims that funds allegedly allocated by the UN for repatriated exiles, said to amount to N$21.7 million, were given to Swapo for distribution but never reached the intended beneficiaries.
“Their concerns are centred around the 1989 repatriation process of Namibians who were in exile during the national liberation struggle, with specific allegations regarding funds purportedly allocated to Swapo by the United Nations meant for Namibians who were in exile during the national liberation struggle. The group of demonstrators is therefore seeking and demanding clarity and finality on what happened to the funds supposedly given to Swapo for further distribution among themselves,” Shaningwa said.
She said the party had reviewed its records and found no evidence supporting the claims.
“Swapo national headquarters maintains comprehensive files and records of all types of income and expenditures, traced back from the respective tenures of all my predecessors. A thorough review of these documents has revealed no internal evidence supporting the claims raised by the demonstrators,” she said.
Shaningwa explained that she was unable to engage the group earlier due to commitments during the pre-election period in late 2025.
“Although the demonstrators sought an audience with me… I was unable to engage them at that time,” she said.
The UN resident coordinator in Namibia, Hopolang Phororo, told the meeting that no funds were given by the UN to Swapo for distribution to returnees.
She said the UN’s role was limited to logistical and basic humanitarian support, including transport back to Namibia, food and essential items, such as mattresses.
She said the repatriation was voluntary and is considered complete.
“The UN will never force anybody to go to a country which they don’t want to. That’s why we said it was voluntary. A person made a decision to get on that bus and come to Namibia, but it was not forced by the UN,” Phororo said.
Phororo said Namibia remained under South African administration at the time, as independence was only achieved in March 1990.
Moreover, United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) representative in Namibia Kavita Belani said UNHCR’s involvement through the United Nations Transition Assistance Group followed strict protocols to ensure the safe return of exiles.
She said financial allegations from that period fall outside the agency’s current mandate but welcomed engagement with the group and encouraged dialogue through national mechanisms.
Questions remain unanswered
Former refugee Ester Tegelela Shitumba said returnees completed repatriation forms in Angola that asked for details of possible heirs or beneficiaries, questioning why such information was required if the UN maintains that no funds were given.
She also questioned why Shaningwa had not greeted the group despite being present at the headquarters.
“When the SG stated that she didn’t have time to engage us before today (Saturday), did she also not have time to say ‘hello’, considering the fact that we were together in the trenches during the liberation struggle?” Shitumba asked.
Returnee Cornelius Lineekela questioned who returnees were handed over to in 1989 if there was no government in place at the time.
He also raised concerns about individuals who coordinated repatriation efforts between the UN and Swapo and were allegedly employed for six months without pay.
“If the UN is saying they gave us to the government in Namibia when we came here, there was no government. There was only UNTAG. I want the UN to clarify to whom they handed us over as a returnee or Namibian refugee when we came back in 1989. If they say they did all they could do, there were individuals employed by the UN for six months, but we were not paid. Those who were coordinating between Swapo and the UN,” Lineekela said.
The demonstrators have rejected the outcome of Saturday’s meeting and said they intend to take the matter to President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah for intervention.
At the time of publication, the group had not issued a public statement following the agreement to vacate the premises.
