No lump sum, no vote, say veterans

A LARGE crowd of former Swapo freedom fighters gathered at Oluno in the Oshana Region on Saturday morning, threatening not to vote this year unless Government gives them lump sums amounting to N$30 000 for every year they spent in exile.

The meeting was organised by the Association of Namibian Ex-Freedom Fighters and was addressed by its founder, Ruusa Malulu, and other leaders including Nkrumah Mushelenga.Mushelenga told the veterans that the association recently had a meeting with the Minister of Veterans’ Affairs in Windhoek, and the Minister was adamant that veterans would only receive their monthly N$2 000 pensions. Income-generating projects for war veterans would also be started, but no lump-sum payments would be made, he said. ‘We are not here to be fooled, we need our money as was promised by us by our Founding President Sam Nujoma the day we left Angola for Namibia in 1989, that we are going to be compensated with money, and those who died in exile, their parents or family members will receive their money on their behalf and those who were maimed in battles will also been compensated with money.’Where are all those promises? We want our money. We have suffered a lot while others are living in wealth at our cost,’ one veteran said.They said Government must first pay them lump sums and then start income-generating projects.The veterans instructed Malulu and Mushelenga to tell the Minister that they would boycott this year’s elections and stage countrywide demonstrations if they do not get lump sums.Malulu thanked those who attended the meeting and called upon all ex-fighters to unite and fight for their rights.The association will hold similar meetings in other regions such as Ohangwena, Kavango and Kunene, Mushelenga told The Namibian.