Dukwi refugee stalemate persists after Geingob visit
Friday, July 15, 2016
They sat in the camp, quietly, eyes glued to the television set. On the screen was Hage Geingob, the Namibian President, on his first official state visit to Botswana and, in the process, becoming only the second head of state to address local legislators.
The more than 1,000 refugees at Dukwi Refugee Camp have been in a state of stasis since March when they won a crucial High Court decision allowing them to stay in Botswana, despite government’s efforts to repatriate them. A stalemate has ensued as Botswana still wants the refugees to voluntarily repatriate, while the Namibians claim persecution, torture and even death await them in their motherland from vengeful authorities.
The recent Vaccination Day in Motokwe, orchestrated through collaborative efforts between UNICEF, USAID, BRCS, and the Ministry of Health, underscores a commendable stride towards fortifying child health services.The painful reality as reflected by the Ministry of Health's data regarding the decline in routine immunisation coverage since the onset of the pandemic, is a cause for concern.It underscores the urgent need to address the...