If we fail, the coming generations will be spitting and urinating on our graves as the authors of their oppression – Job Amupanda

By TUW Oct 21, 2023

Dr. Job Amupanda

In a recent video featuring Etondo lyaNehale, a vendor selling dog meat in Omuthiya, it ignited a nationwide debate. Many raised concerns and requested the banning of dog consumption in Namibia.

These questions were particularly concerned in Ovambo land, where eating dogs is common. Many perceive it as part of white culture’s restriction because they consider dogs as friends.

However, this stance did not sit well with prominent leaders like Dr. Job Shipululo Amupanda. In one video, he was seen visiting Etondo lyaNehale, where dog meat is sold, and he bought some dog meat, encouraging his followers to come support the business.

In response, Dr. Job Shipululo Amupanda addresses the persistence of colonialism in contemporary Namibia, where white interests continue to influence the nation’s economy and society despite gaining independence. He state that this influence is evident in the restrictions on the movement of agricultural products, preventing black individuals from transporting the meat they consume for personal use to other locations.

“White culture, logic and subjectivities, the debate demonstrated, are still highly ranked in our social hierarchy unfortunately supervised by black freedom fighters” He states.

Education system in Namibia

Job Amupanda criticizes the educational system for prioritizing English over agriculture, leading to graduates well-versed in language but facing hunger.

“Part of the reason why whiteness controls and dominates our livelihoods is because we tend to focus more on political power, electoral politics, and political behavior of political actors than structural issues of our economy. Agriculture, an important economic matter, is left to liberal agriculturalists as if natives are not innate agriculturalists. A recent social media post came to mind that read that the black government made English in school compulsory and agriculture optional. We now have hungry graduates speaking good English” Job outlined.

He points out that early framers of the nation’s constitutional and policy frameworks were often foreigners, neglecting indigenous perspectives on development. Development is narrowly defined as government-driven, and questioning it is met with resistance.

Natives are compelled to abandon their traditional practices and livelihoods, facing new taxes and food production restrictions. This urbanization through land dispossession raises questions about alternative development models that respect indigenous rights and livelihoods.

Dr. Job S Amupanda

Warning about land

Job warns about the risks of continued takeover of rural agricultural land, including food security concerns. The protection of agricultural land owned by whites under the current legal framework is questioned, emphasizing the need to reimagine development for the future generations’ well-being.

“If we fail, the coming generations will be spitting and urinating on our graves as the authors of their oppression, subjugation, and domination.” Job warned.

Faced with these challenges, Dr. Job Shipululo Amupanda calls for a reevaluation of development approaches to ensure the prosperity and well-being of the Namibian people.

TUW

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