Nekundi calls for economic emancipation

OMUTHIYA, 22 MAR (NAMPA) – Upholding peace, democratic governance and constitutional order for 36 years is no small achievement, Minister of Works and Transport Veikko Nekundi said during the independence celebration at Tsumeb on Saturday.
“This is not a small achievement; it is the bedrock on which everything else is built. Our people vote freely. Our courts are independent. These are the foundations that our liberation struggle set out to create, and they stand,” Nekundi said while speaking at the regional commemoration held at the Oscar Norich Stadium.
Communities that apartheid deliberately neglected now have schools, clinics, roads and many other basic services the people deserve, despite the challenges, he said.
Nekundi said that while some achievements are worth celebrating, honest reflection demands more, with the legacy of economic inequality inherited from apartheid not yet fully dismantled as many Namibians still live without reliable income, without economic opportunity, and without a meaningful stake in the wealth around them.
“This is the challenge our generation must answer. We must appreciate that political freedom, while important, is incomplete without economic freedom. The leaders of our liberation movement understood this from the beginning, and it remains as true today as it was in 1990,” he said.
The next great chapter of Namibia's story must be the chapter of economic emancipation, ensuring that the benefits of this nation's resources, its land, its labour, and its potential are shared justly among all its people.
Additionally, Nekundi reminded leaders that the celebration of independence must serve as a reminder that they are servants of the people, and serving the people is the true essence and meaning of leadership.
Independence celebrations were held in all 14 regions to ensure broader inclusivity and participation for all citizens.
(NAMPA)
MH/EK/AS