A Call for Liberation from Economic and Mental Control
Political activist and AR Movement, Job Amupanda has shared a powerful statement on social media, highlighting historical and ongoing struggles of Black people in Namibia and beyond. Using a haunting 1923 photograph from Badagry, where Black men were painted as human billboards to wish “Merry Christmas,” Amupanda drew a parallel between colonial exploitation and modern-day economic control.
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| 1923 photograph from Badagry, where Black men were painted as human billboards to wish “Merry Christmas, |
“White people once used Black bodies as Christmas billboards. They no longer need to paint Black bodies since taking control of Black minds,” Amupanda stated. He emphasized that the December 25 holiday continues to generate immense profits for businesses predominantly owned by white economic elites, with Black communities contributing significantly to this wealth.
Amupanda criticized what he called “TIN and PLASTIC MINDS,” referencing individuals within the ruling party whom he accused of perpetuating systemic inequalities. He described these individuals as “strategic enemies” supported by vulnerable rural populations, maintaining systems such as the colonial-era 1896 Redline, which still defines economic disparity in Namibia.
In a rallying call, Amupanda declared the need for “real capacities and capabilities” to detect, fight, and defeat those responsible for the suffering of Namibian people.
Amupanda is a political aspiration figure, no doubt from his followers that he will be a man to watch in the parliament. He and his movement secured six parliamentary seats in the November 2024 elections. With this achievement, he is poised to bring his revolutionary agenda to Parliament in 2025, pledging to challenge systemic injustices and advocate for the liberation of marginalized communities.
