Mother dies a week after her three sons were shot dead by soldiers

In Namibia, a woman whose three sons were shot and killed by Botswana Defence Soldiers (BDF)  has died after fainting a week following her sons’ death.

The three were allegedly killed by the soldiers who intercepted them while illegally fishing close to a river near the Namibia-Botswana border.

Her step-son George Nchindo confirmed that Alphonsina Nkungano Mubu (69) died yesterday evening.

Nchindo said Mubu took a walk to the river yesterday afternoon and on her way back home she collapsed in the field.

She was taken to a nearby hospital where she died.

Wamunyima , Martin and Tommy Nchindo, and their cousin Sinvula Munyeme were shot dead by the BDF last week Thursday while fishing on the banks of Chobe River.

Deputy prime minister and minister of international relations and cooperation Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah yesterday also broke the Namibian government’s silence on the matter through a statement.

In the statement, the deputy prime minister assured the nation that they are consulting the Botswana government to find a lasting solution that would prevent the recurrence of such incidents between neighbouring countries.

In the statement, Nandi-Ndaitwah confirmed that she summoned Dr Batlang Comma Serema, the high commissioner of the Republic of Botswana to Namibia this afternoon, to seek clarity on whether Botswana still maintains the “shoot to kill” policy.

This policy, according to the deputy prime minister, has potential to cause disharmony between the two countries.

“While I informed you that the government of the Republic of Namibia does not condone poaching, I strongly deplored the extrajudicial killings by the Botswana Defence Forces in their anti-poaching drive. Bearing in mind that the two governments signed the Boundary Treaty in 2018,” she said.

Nandi-Ndaitwah further called on the government of Botswana to speed up the joint investigation and assist with the repatriation of the remains of the three men to Namibia.

It is not clear what will happen to the cousin, who is said to be a Zambian national. It is common for people living along the border regions to have relatives on all sides of neighbouring countries.