WINDHOEK, June 22 – Approximately 100 stateless individuals in Windhoek face dire living conditions as they are forced to sleep openly along the bustling Kakurukaze Mungunda Street in Katutura’s single-quarter location.
Despite exhausting all avenues in search of assistance, these individuals, consisting of Oshiwambo, Damara, Herero, and Himba men, women, and school-going children, continue to endure significant hardships.
Inside Twamanuka Lodge and around 100 people stays here.
The struggle of these stateless individuals brings immense sorrow, as they have been purchasing water for the past 20 years for N$10.00 for a 25-liter container due to the absence of a reliable water source within their single-quarter location.
Christina Varika, one of the affected community members, shared the challenges they face daily. “We struggle to even buy water here, as the majority of us, including our husbands, are unemployed. We are truly facing difficulties, especially when it comes to taking care of our children during school days,” Varika lamented.
Among their many concerns, the lack of suitable toilet facilities poses a significant hardship for these individuals living in the urban center of Katutura, where there are no available bushes. As a result, they have resorted to trespassing onto the premises of Jacob Marengo Secondary School and openly relieving themselves. Varika explained, “Even pregnant women are forced to jump the wall. We have no other choice, my brother.” Recognizing the urgent need for improved sanitation, the administration of Jacob Marengo School has taken action by creating an opening in the perimeter wall, granting a quarter-hectare space for these individuals to use as their designated relief area.
Stateless individuals from Twamanuka Lodge scale the walls of Jacob Marengo Secondary School daily, seeking respite when nature calls.
This space, informally referred to as “Twamanuka Lodge” by its occupants, serves as their only option for accessing appropriate sanitation facilities.
According to Ewald Sharukapo, the leader of the stateless community, all members of the group consider themselves 100% Namibians. However, their biggest challenge lies in obtaining national documents, including identification for their children. Sharukapo expressed frustration at the complicated requirements imposed on Namibian nationals to obtain these documents, questioning why foreigners seemingly have an easier time acquiring them. “We find ourselves sleeping outside without any shelters, enduring various weather conditions in this country because we have no other choice. We have exhausted all avenues in search of assistance and have now lost hope, as we do not qualify for any social grants due to our lack of national documents.
“We are now solely reliant on the grace of God,” Sharukapo explained. Furthermore, the group revealed that during election time, the current Constituency Councilor, who represents the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), visited their community and inquired about their national documents and voter cards. However, upon learning that they were a stateless group and faced challenges in obtaining national documents, the Councilor reportedly lost interest and never returned to offer further support.
Sewerage drains run through the Twamanuka Lodge.
When contacted for comments, Councilor Rodman Katjaimo of Katutura Central Constituency, responded only via a short message (SMS), expressing a preference for receiving short messages initially. However, despite multiple messages sent to him, there has been no response from the Councilor to date.
The plight of this stateless community highlights the urgent need for comprehensive reforms in the process of obtaining national documents for Namibian citizens. It also underscores the importance of local authorities and elected representatives fulfilling their responsibilities towards marginalized communities, regardless of their legal status. The Namibia Daily News will continue to monitor the situation and provide updates as it unfolds. ~Namibia Daily News.
