This is a joke, really

Jesse Jackson Kauraisa



There is something about our government which actually doesn’t even shock me any more and that is that they make it look like they are doing something while they are actually doing nothing.

One could see it in the amount of shade they received on social media following the Independence Stadium cleaning campaign held on Friday.

I know they say people start somewhere before they can achieve all their goals and the government probably feels that they have done that when they hosted the campaign, but I must say, I really have mixed emotions about this.

As much as I applaud the step they took, I’m not as pleased with what the bare minimum ministry did on Friday, or has done for the past 31 years.

I don’t know if these people understand or whether they are merely ignorant about what is really going on and why our national team has been playing their home games in South Africa.

Maybe I must remind them that our national teams are playing their home games outside the country because our stadiums are up to international standard.

Maybe they need to be reminded that pulling a public relations stunt will not actually convince Fifa or CAF to grant our teams an opportunity to host their matches at home.

I bet they need a reminder that the problem here is not about how clean or dirty the stadium is, but its conduciveness to host an international match.

Let me remind you that CAF and Fifa stopped Namibia from hosting international matches because the stadium had a lack of multiple CAF requirements, a poor pitch - which requires replacement, and inadequate and poor teams and officials’ benches.

There were no fixed individual spectator seats in all sectors in the stadiums, dressing rooms need to be modern and of international standard, media and medical facilities need to be upgraded and the stadium needs general improvement and upgrading.

CAF further stated that it should have an anti-doping room, referee room, media centre, medical room, enough parking lots and enough toilets.

Namibia has struggled to service and maintain its infrastructure despite the millions the country makes from taxpayers and other natural resources.

This has sadly resulted in the country’s football national team losing both home ground venues after the CAF also declared the Sam Nujoma Stadium unfit for international matches.

Already unable to play at the historic Independence Stadium, the national team has now been required to play international matches outside Namibia.

I was surprised to hear that our own sport minister was apparently unaware of the situation at the stadium until seeing it in newspapers and on social media.

It is sad that our minister would make such a statement, which actually exposes herself and the ministry for not having cared about our national monument.

The government had one job and one job only and that was to make sure that the stadium they found already constructed was looked after.

Well, just like many other infrastructures built by the old regime, it appears our government couldn’t care less about the structures in place.

My plea with the government right now is to make sure that that these stadiums are brought back to international standard as soon as possible.

It is up to the government to source the funding that can revamp the stadiums and not bluff us with spades and rakes as if this will solve the problem.

Lastly, please find other places to hold political rallies and let the stadiums be there for sport.

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