STAFF REPORTERS
FORMER Official Opposition Party (DTA) Member of Parliament in the National Council of Namibia Mr. Conrad Mukelebai Walubita (70) was denied not to enter Namibia after he voluntarily registered his names to return to Namibia.
Mr. Walubita who is currently living in exile at Francis Town in Botswana was among the group of thirty-four Namibian returnees who voluntarily submitted their names to return to Caprivi region after they have lived for 13 years at Dukwi refugee Camp in Botswana since 1998 and 99.
He (Walubita) is most wanted by the Namibian government for the attempt to secede the Caprivi region from Namibia after some skirmishes that killed a trainee member of the Caprivi Liberation Army late Victor Falali in 1998 at Linyanti. He was among the leadership that crossed into Botswana in fear of persecution.
He is alleged to be one of the masterminds behind the secessionist movement led by Mr.Mishake Muyongo who is now living in Denmark. Mr. Muyongo with other UDP supporters fled the country to neighbouring Botswana in 1998 to continue fighting for the independence of the Caprivi Strip.
December 20, 2011 Mr. Walubita wanted to cross Ngoma Boarder post from Botswana after applying for voluntary repatriation with the United Nations High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) in Botswana.
He applied for repatriation with his family and was denied to cross at Ngoma boarder post while his family, which included his wife and three (3) kids, were allowed to enter the country and him was returned back to Francis Town in Botswana where he was living.
This paper has learned that while in exile he served as an executive member of the United Democratic Part (UDP), which is fighting for the independence of the Caprivi Strip where he resigned in 2005 due to infighting among members within the committee.
However, trying to find out on why he was returned back to Botswana, he declined to comment anything on the matter, “No I don’t have anything to comment,” he said.
This publication also contacted the Refugee Administration Commissioner in the Ministry of Home Affairs and Immigration Mr. Nkrumah Mushelenga to clarify why Mr. Walubita was returned back, but he did not tell the reasons why and he told this paper that he is still gathering more information pertaining the return of the former Member of Parliament Mr. Walubita.
“I don’t want to give information which is not there, many people around the country are calling me to give them information on this matter but now I cant, I will give it to you I’m still gathering more concrete information regarding this, so just bare with me please I will definitely come back to you” he furthered.
In the earlier interview with Caprivi Vision Mr. Mushelenga said that he was impressed by the cooperation shown by the Namibian refugees in Botswana as a very successful exercise that he has ever attended before “we were able to talk to our colleagues in order to promote voluntary repatriation”. He said.
Mr. Mushelenga said, very soon a big number of the Namibians are expected to return home.
“We want them to come back home and enjoy the golden opportunities in Namibia,” he said.
He added that voluntary repatriation is a process that gives time to individuals to decide the possibilities.
He described the situation that the 2011 tripartite mission in Dukwi refugee camp bear fruits since many people are showing interest to come back home.
“We could see signs like smile on their faces and we did not expect all of them to come back … I can assure you that very soon they will come back” he said.
Asked to clear demands such as the merger agreement between CANU and SWAPO in Lusaka in 1964 which were at loggerheads during the tripartite missions Mr. Mushelenga pointed out that “ that’s not true the commission is not politics we were there to promote voluntary repatriation, our dream is to have all our people in Namibia ”
Mr. Mushelenga further told this paper that other past experiences from the previous returnees are that they were delays in registration of birth certificates and identity cards and school going children could not go to schools due to delayment of the issuing of birth certificates to obtain admission. Including delays of pension payouts for those who were working in the government at the time they fled the country.
He promised that government particularly his Ministry has taken charge in documentation of all returnees and a committee has been set up to provide ID cards and birth certificates issued right away at the boarders at the time when they are returning home.
“The system should give birth certificates on spot at the boarder”
He said this will cut time and costs incurred by the returnees when they are in the country when seeking for their new identity documents.
“If you drop them at their villages without proper documents they will not have… our returnees should not suffer” concluded Mr. Mushelenga.
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