'Secure livelihoods for Ovambanderu returnees'
Omaheke Governor Pijoo Nganate has called for a shift from symbolic commemorations to concrete development for Ovambanderu returnees in Namibia. He announced a 'Food for Work' initiative to improve local infrastructure and food security in the Eiseb 10 region.
Why it matters
The focus on sustainable livelihoods for repatriated communities highlights the ongoing challenges of post-conflict integration and regional economic development in Africa.
EISEB – Omaheke Governor Pijoo Nganate says commemorating Ovambanderu Repatriation Day is not enough, stressing that securing sustainable livelihoods for returnees must be a top priority.
Nganate made the remark in a speech read on his behalf at the 33rd Commemoration of the Repatriation of the Ovambanderu people from Botswana, held recently at Eiseb 10 in Omaheke region’s Otjombinde constituency.
“A commemoration must also challenge us to ask: What are we doing for the living? What are we doing for the families who returned and the children growing up here? What are we doing to ensure that those who came back to the motherland can build dignified and productive lives?” he asked.
Nganate said the challenges facing the returnee communities cannot remain merely a historical conversation but must become a development priority.
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