Citizenship for Africans abroad mooted
OMUTHIYA – Africans in the diaspora who want Namibian citizenship will be welcomed with open arms as the country is working on developing a policy that will grant them residence rights.
This was revealed by Minister of International Relations and Cooperation (Mirco) Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah during a courtesy visit by a former African Union representative to the United States, Arikana Chihombori-Quao, recently.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said the drafting of the policy is progressing well, and she wishes to present it to Cabinet for approval before the next financial year.
“The central element of this policy is rooted in the idea of how we as a country can link up with Africans in the diaspora, and how we discover one another as part of our contribution to the Africa we want, particularly now that we are starting to implement the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA),” she noted.
The minister is of the belief that through that instrument, there will be a strong link between Africans on the continent and those in the diaspora.
“We are almost done executing the policy,” she added.
Nandi-Ndaitwah's statement came at a time when African immigrants and descendants of the formerly-enslaved through the African Diaspora Development Institute (ADDI) came knocking at their doors in a quest to return home (to Africa), seek investment opportunities, and build “the Africa we want”.
The ADDI delegation, led by its founder Chihombori-Quao, visited Namibia last month to establish an ADDI presence in the country.
The institute is designed to mobilise all people of African descent to unite, invest and participate in the building of a better Africa.
“We have always been wondering how to attract our people in the diaspora to invest in the continent, but programmes like ADDI have answered our questions because it is not a donation but an investment opportunity that will benefit the people of Namibia,” enthused NandiNdaitwah.
Lee and Cassandra Whitaker, both medical doctors from the United States of America, are among thousands of people of African descent who wish to return to Africa if the opportunity arises.
In an interview with New Era, Lee Whitaker narrated his trials and tribulations of being a black American living in America.
He said the post-traumatic slave syndrome (PTSS) continues to haunt African-Americans, and they long to find their roots in Africa.
“There are many Africans who do not know who they are. It's like a child growing up without knowing who their parents are. So, Africa is my home because, in the words of Kwame Nkrumah, ‘I am not African because I was born in Africa, I am an African because Africa was born in me',” he reasoned.
Despite being a well-educated individual who has for many decades worked hard for himself and his family, he said he is still deprived of opportunities in his country.
“I am a medical doctor who has done so much for my people, but somehow that is not good enough for the country I live in right now. They will rather prevent me from going further in my career and profession. They don't want to give people like me bank loans for businesses. They will rather give you a car or a house loan, but not an investment opportunity to grow,” he narrated.
“So, we are here seeking a place we can call home. We are here to hook up with you as brothers and sisters, and let's work together because we are from here. We need your embrace and your support in order to create more opportunities for ourselves as one Africa,” said Whitaker.