Struggle kids label registration ‘fake’

AN angry mob of ‘children of the liberation struggle’ descended on the Ministry of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture on Friday demanding answers around what they called the ‘fake registration process’.

Spokesperson of the group, Salom Tangeni Shinendima said: ‘We want to know why some names are not on the system. There’s a trick being played here. We want to have both [Dr Peingondjabi] Shipoh and the deputy minister [Pohamba Shifeta] at once so that one doesn’t say that one said this and the other one said that.’The ‘trick’ that was apparently uncovered was when one of the ‘kids’ lost his registration card and went to the Ministry’s registration office for a replacement, only to discover that he hadn’t been registered as a ‘child of the liberation struggle’. Shinendima said Shipoh had in the past allegedly threatened to tear up registration forms because he claimed they (‘struggle kids’) were ill-disciplined. ‘When we held meetings with comrade Shipoh in the past he warned us that we do not have discipline and he said he will tear up our forms. We want to know if he did so,’ said Shinendima. After ignoring the angry group for most of the morning, Dr Shipoh eventually agreed to meet the group at lunchtime Friday. According to Shinendima, Shipoh confirmed during the meeting that he had torn up registration forms.’He said that he had torn up those papers himself and that if anyone wants to take him to court about it then they must do it. He told us that he can justify why he did it,’ Shinendima said. The Ministry of Youth created a committee to specifically deal with the ‘struggle kids’, with Youth Deputy Minister Pohamba Shifeta as chairperson. After the meeting neither Shifeta nor Shipoh were available for comment. Shinendima told The Namibian that Shifeta has instructed him to make a list of all the names that do not appear on the registration system. ‘The deputy minister said I must write down all the names of those people whose forms are missing and give them to him on Monday,’ Shinendima said. ‘Shifeta also gave me permission to go into the verification office and search for the missing forms on Monday (today).The ‘struggle kids’, who have been camping at various locations around the capital for over 11 months threatened to relocate their camp to the NDC building, housing the Ministry of Youth. There are currently 269 ‘struggle kids’ camping at the Swapo headquarters in Katutura and according to Shinendima only 72 appear on the registration system.’We want all the names in the system. We all demonstrated together. What will happen to the others?’ He asked.