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About Us
The history of our political existence can be traced to the early 1970s. It may be recalled that during the months of December and January, 1969/1970 SWAPO Consultative Congress at Tanga, Tanzania, the leadership of our Party abroad worked out a new program of action for the intensification of the struggle on all fronts. The Congress adopted several resolutions, important among which was the creation of new organizational structures, such as the SWAPO Party wings. Among the wings which were created at the Tanga Congress were the SWAPO Party Youth League, the SWAPO Women's Council, the SWAPO Elders' Council and the National Union of Namibian Workers as an affiliate organization.
The immediate result of the implementation of that program was the rise in mass anti-colonial militancy actions in the country, as demonstrated by the 1971/1972 general strike by the workers and the daring activities of the SWAPO Youth League during the 1971/1974 period. These activities resulted in the arrest and imprisonment at Robben Island of many Youth League leaders, like Comrades Nashilongo Taapopi, Jerry Ekandjo, Martin Kapewasha and others. Subsequently, it is a fact of history that since 1977 to 1989, SWAPO carried out the struggle on the basis of a three pronged strategy, viz, the waging of the armed struggle and political mass mobilization and negotiating for the adoption and implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 435 of 1978. However to force South Africa to implement that resolution, SWAPO's PLAN (People's Liberation Army of Namibia) had to join forces with the Angolan army (FAPLA) and the Cuban internationalist soldiers in the decisive battle of Cuito Cuanavale and Chipa, thus making it possible for the 1989 independence elections to take place in Namibia.
Independence and post-independence youth activities
All of us vividly remember that the battle for the conquest of state power through the ballot box in 1989 was followed by the establishment of the SWAPO Government on 21 March 1990, a momentous event which announced the awakening of a new life for our people. After independence our Party has set itself four main tasks in the present and immediate future namely the democratization of the Namibian society, economic development; provision of social justice and the building of the nation. As the ruling and indeed, dominant political party in this country, SWAPO has defined more clearly the role of the state in the country's socio-economic development.
As a youth wing of our Mighty SWAPO Party, it is noteworthy that during the bitter years of the liberation struggle, many young Namibians made enormous sacrifices by demonstrating an impressive will to work in various fronts of our people's bitter and bloody anti-colonial resistance. Accordingly with the advent of independence in 1990, the SPYL remains at the forefront of the Namibian society as an active, revolutionary, and militant transmitting belt of the SWAPO Party ideology, policies and programs both in politics and economic development of our country. As all many may be aware, the SPYL has equally set for itself five components that form part of our present and future tasks namely: nation building, political mobilization, economic empowerment, social empowerment and international cooperation.
In our free and independent Namibia, therefore, the SPYL has come to realize the need to wage a second struggle namely of economic liberation as embodied in the 2002 Congress "SPYL Fighting for Economic Empowerment". In the 2007 Congress this need was re-emphasized under the theme "SPYL for Unity, Development and Youth Empowerment". As part of waging this battle, SPYL has set its self aims and objectives in an independent Namibia including but not limited to the following:
- Renewed vigilance in combating destructive tendencies of nepotism, favoritism, tribalism, corruption, and racism among the youth in the Namibian society.
- And the inculcation in the youth, patriotic spirit, hard work, self-reliance, respect and love for cultural values and traditions.
- Advance the promotion of Pan-African solidarity and the worldwide anti-colonialist and anti-imperialist struggle for freedom and justice in the world.
- To ensure that the Namibian youth are mobilized to participate actively in economic activities as individuals, or within cooperatives or through the establishment of SPYL enterprises in order to contribute to economic development and industrialization, thereby creating job opportunities and wealth for the Namibian people.
- To strive and educate the youth about the history of Namibia, and to ensure that the Namibian youth upholds, with honor and pride, Namibian history and Namibian national symbols.
The SPYL shall continue to comprehensively study all sectors of our national economy to enable to make meaningful contribution to the society. While we recognize the contribution that all sectors of our economy make to our society, we are particularly cognizant of and about the potential that the tourism sector has on employment creation and thereby enhance protection of our environment and country.
We further must agree that other sectors such as mining and fishing should equally ensure that the youth meaningfully participate in their programs especially as it relates to employment, scholarship and income generating activities. It is and must be clear that the only true way in which SPYL can practically succeed in being able to play a meaningful role in Politics and Economic Development of our country is when the economic players including those in the public sector are assisting our youth with the necessary support particularly employment opportunities.
Finally, we must reiterate our earlier calls that our youth must be afforded the opportunity to gain experience while studying through internship and job placement. We mean here that school going youth at local, regional and national level must be able to be absorbed by both the public and private sector companies and agencies with a view to gain experience but also earn a living wage which could support our extended families. We believe further that our youth particularly those who have dropped out of schools must also be assisted with further training especially vocational training because we believe that every person trainable and thereby contribute to the socio-economic development of our country.