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However it is deplorable to say the least if the above said committee could allow itself to be politically manipulated by certain people because of their positions either in the ruling SWAPO party and or Government not to mention members of the Diplomatic Corp. If streets had to be renamed in honour of certain people on demand from their family members who are in government, or in Swapo party`s senior positions and worse still members of the Diplomatic Corp, what would happen to ordinary heroes and heroines who have no family members at strategically positions in the ruling party or government.

Does this perhaps explain why many of our heroes and heroines especially former commanders of the Peoples Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) are not honoured in the renaming of the streets in this country? It is difficult to understand why certain individuals are the only ones being honoured in the renaming of streets and other infrastructures in many of our cities and towns at the cost of other heroes and heroines.

Equally while cognizant,  grateful and infact appreciative of the contributions made to our liberation struggle by members of the international community both as government or individuals, we reject as interference that certain countries through their diplomatic missions in Namibia have the audacity to demand and order our government  how the citizens of their respective countries some of whom have already been honoured in the renaming of streets could allegedly be best honoured in their own opinion.  This demand in our view is not only unethical and undiplomatic but it borders on an insult and underming the intelligence of the Namibian people. Namibia should not become a gambling house in the renaming of streets. We are calling on the City`s Streets and Place Naming Committee to be worth itself and not to succumb to political manipulation.

Jeremia Nambinga
Secretary for Information and Publicity