Day: June 21, 2023

The U.N. refugee agency, UNHCR, for the first time scaled back Tuesday’s commemoration of World Refugee Day in Malawi after refugees called out the tough living conditions there. Malawi authorities have been forcibly relocating refugees into the Dzaleka refugee camp, where refugees say there is inadequate shelter, food, and clean water.

In previous years in Malawi, the day typically was marked by holding a special event with activities like dance presentations, displays from refugees and speeches from government and U.N. officials.

The theme for this year’s observance is “hope away from home.”

It comes at a time, however, when the Malawi government is forcibly relocating refugees who stay outside Dzaleka, the country’s only refugee camp.

UNHCR and several rights advocates, including Human Rights Watch, have requested that the government halt the forced relocations after refugees complained of the dehumanizing manner in which they were being evicted from their homes and businesses.

Niyibigira Goreth, the leader of refugees from Burundi at the Dzaleka refugee camp, told VOA the refugees’ community leaders have agreed that holding an event to observe World Refugee Day in Malawi would be an insult to refugees.

“The situation now is bad,” said Goreth. “We don’t have enough water. People are lacking water for everything because you know water is life. Many of us don’t have a place to sleep, we don’t have food. And now, for those children who are going to schools, we don’t have hope that those children will go to school this coming year because we don’t have enough classrooms.”

Goreth said this year’s theme for the World Refugee Day, “hope away from home,” does not resonate amid the congestion at the Dzaleka camp and harsh conditions refugees are facing in Malawi.

The Malawi government so far has forcibly relocated nearly 2,000 refugees to the overcrowded camp that hosts upwards of 50,000 refugees against a recommended capacity of 12,000 people. Six thousand more are targeted for relocation.

Hilda Kausiwa, senior administration and operations officer for the Department of Refugees in Malawi, said the relocation exercise is in line with Malawi’s legislation, which prohibits refugees from staying outside the refugee camp.

Kausiwa said it is wrong to say that refugees have no hope in Malawi.

“Malawi has always been open to protecting and assisting refugees, but it can only do that in accordance with existing laws,” Kausiwa said. “So, if others feel that there is no hope, everyone has a choice to seek asylum where they desire, then they have power to actually decide. We are providing options for voluntary repatriations. The government will assist anyone who wants to leave, and they can always do so and seek it elsewhere.”

Kenyi Emanuel Lukajo, the associate external relations and reporting officer for UNHCR in Malawi, said they observed the day in a low-key way in respect of the decision made by refugees.

“I can say it’s a regret but also it [is the] best way to do it given the position of community leaders,” Lukajo said. “Their position is ‘we are not doing it.’ It’s something they feel is [the] right thing to do. We cannot impose that this should happen, but it’s their decision and also it’s being accountable to the affected people because we cannot do anything without their participation.”

In a statement on the commemoration of the Word Refugee Day released Tuesday, UNHCR said the day was observed in a world that often prevents refugees from accessing services and jobs they need to be self-reliant.

The U.N.’s refugee agency said no matter how long refugees remain in exile, they want to carry on with their lives.

Source: Voice of America

Two women, a financial advisor at Sanlam and an employee of Hollard Insurance in Rundu made their first court appearance on Monday on charges of defrauding a Sanlam client of N.dollars 200 000.

The two accused are Victoria Kavu, 32, and 39-year-old Christophine Shininge.

According to the charge sheet the two allegedly defrauded a Sanlam client of N.dollars 200 000 which the client deposited into her account.

The two were arrested on 06 June 2023.

Police records revealed that Kavu, who is stationed the Sanlam financial advisor at Bank Windhoek, allegedly transferred the N.dollars 200 000 to a Hollard personal account of Shininge, who is her friend.

The two appeared before Magistrate Sonia Sampofu.

Kavu is charged with two counts, fraud and contravening Section 4 of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act of 2004, which deals with unlawfully disguising the origin of the proceeds.

Shininge is charged with three counts – fraud, contravening Section 5 of the Prevention of Organised Crime Act of 2004 which deals with assisting a person who obtained the proceeds unlawfully and controlling that on their behalf, and contravening Section 6 of the same act which deals with acquiring the proceeds unlawfully.

The two accused were first given bail of N.dollars 40 000 each which was reduced to N.dollars 10 000 on Tuesday on grounds that the women are both breadwinners for their families.

Kavu was represented by Bernhard Tjatjara Law Firm and Shininge by Thomas Appolus Law Firm, while Variety Matamata represented the State.

Source: NAMPA

Namibian cyclist Rodney Stewe was on Wednesday crowned world champion in the five-kilometre (km) cycling event, while Fikameni Hamutenya won a silver medal in the 1 500 metre race at the 2023 Special Olympics World Games.

The 2023 Berlin Special Olympics World Games are underway in Germany.

On Wednesday morning, an emotional Stewe won the country’s first gold at the championships after crossing the line in a time of 6:54.83, outclassing his opponent Hui Teng Yang of China, who was second at 6:58.36, and Jose Quintero of Germany, who came third in a time of 7:05.64 in the men’s level three five-kilometre race.

Meanwhile, Namibian middle-distance runner Hamutenya added another silver medal to the team’s collection after finishing second in the 1 500m run.

Kenyan runner Daniel Mutiso, who won the 800m on Tuesday, got the better of his opponents as he crossed the line with a time of 4:13.14 while Hamutenya came in with a time of 4:17.69, and South African runner Komong Moncho took the final podium position in the Level A 1500m race in a time of 4:30.59.

In an interview with Nampa after the race, Stewe said he enjoyed his race despite being nervous at the start of the race.

“I was worried at the start as my competitors had road bikes while I had a mountain bike, but just one kilometre into the race, I decided to keep close to them because I knew they would get tired through the race, and when they did I overtook them and kept pushing,” he said.

He added that his attention now turns to the 25km race he will compete in on Thursday morning.

After four days of competition, Team Namibia has won three medals: one gold and two silver from athletics track and field events and road cycling.

Source: NAMPA

The Southern African Customs Union’s (SACU) Eighth Summit is taking place in Ezulwini in the Kingdom of Eswatini next week to review the progress made on the implementation of the SACU Strategic Plan.

It will be hosted by the chairperson of the SACU Summit, Eswatini’s King Mswati III, on 29 June and will be attended by Heads of State or Representatives from Eswatini, Namibia, Botswana, South Africa, and the Kingdom of Lesotho.

The SACU Strategic Plan is in effect from 2022 to 2027 and has pillars that aim to prioritise industrialisation through the development of regional value chains, attract investment and promote export, facilitate trade and logistics, and mobilise finances and resources, amongst others.

“Further, the pillars themselves are underpinned by a set of cross-cutting issues, comprising governance and accountability and institutional arrangements, that will ensure that the necessary conditions are in place to facilitate the SACU Region’s implementation of the strategic plan,” the SACU Strategic Plan reads.

Preceding the summit will be the meetings of the SACU institutions, namely the 70th Meeting of the Finance and Audit Committee, the 72nd Meeting of the SACU Commission on 24 and 25 June, and the 49th Meeting of the SACU Council of Ministers on 27 and 28 June.

Christine ?Hoebes, the Namibian Minister of Presidential Affairs, said President Hage Geingob received the invitation on Tuesday and has not yet confirmed his attendance.

Source: NAMPA

Serbia’s Ambassador to Namibia, Milos Perisic has said there is a need for Namibia and Serbia to strengthen cooperation in the areas of defence, education, agriculture and information and technology.

Perisic, who is non-resident and based in Angola, said this during a courtesy visit to Vice President Nangolo Mbumba here Wednesday.

He said: “Serbia is fully open for any operation with Namibia, as they have developed good relations with all other African countries.”

He noted that Serbia is one of the strongest countries militarily in the region and that their defence standards are compatible with European, Russian and NATO standards.

Perisic said Serbia has a joint committee for defence affairs in Angola, and hopes to have the same with Namibia in order to allow the armed forces to be awarded scholarships to gain training in Serbian defence academics.

“Countries like the United States, Italy, Germany, and other African countries are sending their people, and we hope to receive your people soon,” the ambassador said.

He further said his country has received many Namibian students in the past and will continue to do so, through scholarships offered to African countries annually.

“We hope to work closely with the Namibia University of Science and Technology and the University of Namibia to develop hybrids that could be applicable for this climate, weather conditions, and type of soil,” he said.

In response, Mbumba commended the long history between Namibia and Serbia, as well as that of Serbia and other countries.

“When some people hear that you are training military personnel, they think you are preparing for war. But they don’t understand that to protect yourself, you have to have highly trained people who understand the history of the world, its geography, and the new equipment being used,” Mbumba said.

He also said Namibian students can get extensive education in science, new technology and ICT in Serbia.

Source: NAMPA