EDITORIAL: Honour heroes by fighting poverty

It has been a rather eventful weekend across the country, one which culminated in the Heroes' Day commemoration that saw thousands of Namibians throng the small town of Omuthiya to witness the official proceedings.

Days like these should not only serve as a public holiday where we use the free time to rest, relax and tend to our personal matters, but rather a time to pause and reflect on the state of our country and whether those who sacrificed their lives for Namibia’s freedom would be happy with the current state of affairs.

We have heard countless times that political freedom is nothing without economic freedom, therefore we must pull out all the stops to ensure that the socioeconomic conditions of our people are enhanced day by day.

The alarming levels of malnutrition and unemployment are a recipe for disaster for any society, and without a lasting solution, the political freedom that came at the expense of the lives of those we honoured yesterday is at risk.

Those tasked with leading the country must pull up their socks and deliver basic services to ensure that our people live dignified lives. Only then can we claim to genuinely honour those heroes who placed their lives on the chopping block for the sake of their beloved Namibia.