Maria David
THE Secretary of the Uukolonkadhi Traditional Authority, Malakia Shoombe has warned Angolan drought refugees that they will face arrest and deportation if they become unruly.
Shoombe issued the warning while speaking to Angolan nationals camping at the Etunda village in the Omusati Region on Thursday during a visit by the delegation of Uukolonkadhi traditional leaders to the campsite near Ruacana.
The visit was aimed at establishing what aid could be given to the Angolan drought refugees that have been camping at the village’s growth centre since the beginning of February.
His warning follows reports of unruly behaviour by some of the men in the group who threatened to attack locals and their own people with pangas that they were carrying on Wednesday night.
“Identify the culprits, so that they can be dealt with and deported. You must behave as guests and not as fugitives,” he said.
The Shoombe-led delegation on behalf of Uukolonkadhi Traditional Authority also donated food that consisted of bags of maize flour, mahangu, macaroni, sugar, cooking oil, tinned fish, clothes, and shoes.
Caretaker of the refugees and Etunda resident, Peneyambeko Josef, said that several individuals, business people, organisations, and the Namibian government have thus far donated food items to the refugees.
The Angolan nationals are mostly from the Zemba, Hakaona, and Gambwe tribes from the northwest of that country, who fled to Namibia because of starvation they have encountered in their country over the past three years of drought.
Josef said more Angolans continue to flock in on daily basis and that the current group includes 375 children, 123 babies, 30 elderly men, 17 women, 150 youths, and 25 expectant mothers.
“We don’t want to be dependent on food handouts and therefore, anybody able to offer us employment is free to do so,” the spokesperson of the refugees, Muvalu Mwadjendavi stated.
Mwadjendavi added that they have been receiving kind hospitality from many Namibians since their arrival in the county.
The Oukwanyama Traditional Councillor for the Ohaingu district, Nghidinihamba Ndilula recently donated 50 bags of 50kg maize flour and slaughtered a cow for the Etunda-based Angolan refugees.
