City flouts Cabinet moratorium

IN complete disregard of a recent Cabinet announcement recommending a moratorium on the naming of streets, monuments and buildings after living people, the City of Windhoek has decided to rename one of its streets after an independence struggle icon.

In a statement issued by the Office of the Chief Executive, Niilo Taapopi, the City announced that Krupp Street will be renamed after Andimba Toivo ya Toivo tomorrow afternoon. This flies in the face of an October 3 Cabinet decision placing a moratorium on the naming of streets after living people.A special Ad-Hoc Cabinet Committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Libertina Amathila was set up early this year to define who is a Namibian hero and who qualifies for burial at the Heroes’ Acre, among other things.The committee felt that streets, monuments and buildings should not be named after living people.Other members of the high level Ad-Hoc Cabinet Committee included Information Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Defence Minister Charles Namoloh, Safety and Security Minister Peter Sheehama, Lukas Hangula, the Director General of the National Central Intelligence, and Swapo Secretary General Ngarikutuke Tjiriange.According to the Cabinet release of October 3, the committee made recommendations on issues ranging from privileges and benefits for heroes and heroines, the Heroes Acre, the recommendation process for heroes and heroines, forfeiture and restoration of national awards, a moratorium on naming monuments after living people and the development of a policy and legislative framework on these issues.The City of Windhoek’s statement says residents were informed in July through the council’s newsletter that some streets would be renamed after people “deserving such honours in the capital city”.The street-renaming ceremony scheduled for tomorrow afternoon will result in the temporary closure of Krupp Street from this afternoon for the logistical arrangements of the event.People affected by the temporary street closure are advised to use alternative routes during this period.This flies in the face of an October 3 Cabinet decision placing a moratorium on the naming of streets after living people.A special Ad-Hoc Cabinet Committee chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Libertina Amathila was set up early this year to define who is a Namibian hero and who qualifies for burial at the Heroes’ Acre, among other things.The committee felt that streets, monuments and buildings should not be named after living people.Other members of the high level Ad-Hoc Cabinet Committee included Information Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Defence Minister Charles Namoloh, Safety and Security Minister Peter Sheehama, Lukas Hangula, the Director General of the National Central Intelligence, and Swapo Secretary General Ngarikutuke Tjiriange.According to the Cabinet release of October 3, the committee made recommendations on issues ranging from privileges and benefits for heroes and heroines, the Heroes Acre, the recommendation process for heroes and heroines, forfeiture and restoration of national awards, a moratorium on naming monuments after living people and the development of a policy and legislative framework on these issues.The City of Windhoek’s statement says residents were informed in July through the council’s newsletter that some streets would be renamed after people “deserving such honours in the capital city”.The street-renaming ceremony scheduled for tomorrow afternoon will result in the temporary closure of Krupp Street from this afternoon for the logistical arrangements of the event.People affected by the temporary street closure are advised to use alternative routes during this period.