‘Create your own jobs’ fundamentally misguided - Katjimune
Second #NamibiaDecides panel discussion
The rhetoric that the youth should create their own jobs is just an excuse by a government that has failed to make the necessary jobs available, the PDM parliamentarian said.
Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) parliamentarian Maximilliant Katjimune recently shot down the famous phrase by late president Hage Geingob, urging the Namibian youth to “create their own jobs”.
“[Create your own jobs] is a fundamentally misguided proposition, as it is only correct in principle but premised wrongly,” he noted.
Speaking about a motion to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) he introduced in parliament earlier this year, Katjimune indicated that roughly 70% of the country’s SMEs fail before they commence operations.
“We found that this is because there is no financial backing and support from the government towards SMEs. Then one puts a question in this rhetoric that we must create our own jobs and must not be job-seekers. Which jobs are going to be created by 70% of SMEs that fail almost one year after they commence operation?” he wanted to know.
The parliamentarian made the remarks during the #NamibiaDecides panel discussion, hosted by Namibian Sun editor Toivo Ndjebela last week on the theme ‘Resolving youth unemployment beyond the November election’. It also featured legal expert and social affairs commentator Fillemon Wise Immanuel and academic and independent political analyst Rui Tyitende.
‘Just an excuse’
Katjimune went on to add that SMEs - which are urged to provide jobs for young people - are not supported. “This rhetoric that has been postured by our ministers of sport [Agnes Tjongarero] and finance [Ipumbu Shiimi] that the youth should create their own jobs is just an excuse and cover for the fact that the government has failed to make the necessary jobs available. The youth’s businesses are not functional because they do not receive any support from the government,” he said.
Meanwhile, Immanuel, a member of the ruling party, acknowledged that youth unemployment is exceedingly high, but highlighted that being an election year, it is the right time to reflect in order to better handle the status quo going forward.
“To resolve unemployment is not only a responsibility of the president of the country and parliament. Institutions, [which often] are headed by non-Swapo members, can also come on board and help battle unemployment,” he said.
He added: “Of course, the buck stops with the president. However, if you paid attention to the Swapo presidential candidate Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, you would have heard her commitment to addressing various economic challenges, [including youth unemployment]. She has also been explicit about her plan to revive the dormant green schemes.”
Youth participation
Speaking on the youth’s participation in the upcoming elections, Tyitende said he fears there is still a large number of young people not interested in registering to vote, as most manifestos are not out to entice young people to vote.
“When registration for voting ends, you will have a few young people going to vote because most could not get around to registering,” he said.
The voter registration period will draw to a close on Thursday, 1 August.
“[Create your own jobs] is a fundamentally misguided proposition, as it is only correct in principle but premised wrongly,” he noted.
Speaking about a motion to support small and medium enterprises (SMEs) he introduced in parliament earlier this year, Katjimune indicated that roughly 70% of the country’s SMEs fail before they commence operations.
“We found that this is because there is no financial backing and support from the government towards SMEs. Then one puts a question in this rhetoric that we must create our own jobs and must not be job-seekers. Which jobs are going to be created by 70% of SMEs that fail almost one year after they commence operation?” he wanted to know.
The parliamentarian made the remarks during the #NamibiaDecides panel discussion, hosted by Namibian Sun editor Toivo Ndjebela last week on the theme ‘Resolving youth unemployment beyond the November election’. It also featured legal expert and social affairs commentator Fillemon Wise Immanuel and academic and independent political analyst Rui Tyitende.
‘Just an excuse’
Katjimune went on to add that SMEs - which are urged to provide jobs for young people - are not supported. “This rhetoric that has been postured by our ministers of sport [Agnes Tjongarero] and finance [Ipumbu Shiimi] that the youth should create their own jobs is just an excuse and cover for the fact that the government has failed to make the necessary jobs available. The youth’s businesses are not functional because they do not receive any support from the government,” he said.
Meanwhile, Immanuel, a member of the ruling party, acknowledged that youth unemployment is exceedingly high, but highlighted that being an election year, it is the right time to reflect in order to better handle the status quo going forward.
“To resolve unemployment is not only a responsibility of the president of the country and parliament. Institutions, [which often] are headed by non-Swapo members, can also come on board and help battle unemployment,” he said.
He added: “Of course, the buck stops with the president. However, if you paid attention to the Swapo presidential candidate Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, you would have heard her commitment to addressing various economic challenges, [including youth unemployment]. She has also been explicit about her plan to revive the dormant green schemes.”
Youth participation
Speaking on the youth’s participation in the upcoming elections, Tyitende said he fears there is still a large number of young people not interested in registering to vote, as most manifestos are not out to entice young people to vote.
“When registration for voting ends, you will have a few young people going to vote because most could not get around to registering,” he said.
The voter registration period will draw to a close on Thursday, 1 August.
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