By Rinelda Mouton
The arrest of an 18-year-old who allegedly raped and murdered two young girls in Okahandja when he was just 16 has cast a harsh spotlight on the challenges facing Namibia’s boy child, with activists warning that troubled boys are being failed long before their problems escalate into violence.
Karinamabande Muundjua, now 18, was 16 when five-year-old Ingrid Maasdrop and seven-year-old Roswinds Fabianu were allegedly raped and murdered in separate incidents in Okahandja last year.
Police arrested Muundjua after DNA analysis allegedly linked him to semen recovered from the crime scene where Roswinds was murdered.
His arrest came after he was allegedly caught attempting to rape another girl, aged eight, at knifepoint.
He has since appeared in the Okahandja Magistrate’s Court on charges of murder, rape, kidnapping and defeating the course of justice in connection with the deaths of Ingrid and Roswinds.
The allegations have raised uncomfortable questions about how a boy as young as 16 could allegedly become involved in crimes of such gravity and whether families, schools, communities and the State are doing enough to identify and address problems facing boys before they escalate.
Human rights activist Rosa Namises said while Muundjua must be held accountable if found responsible, his age at the time of the alleged crimes cannot be ignored.
“When a 16-year-old is accused, we must look at both accountability and protection. His age does not excuse harm, but it must shape how we handle justice, restorative, not only punitive,” Namises said.
She said society must also confront its own failures in protecting and guiding boys.
“As parents, communities, schools, churches, State, we failed to protect and guide him earlier. In Namibia, we love to blame the mother. I say we must ask, where were the men, father, uncles?”
Namises said violence has become normalised in some homes and communities, while schools are often quick to expel troubled children instead of counselling them and addressing the causes of their behaviour.
“At schools we expels very fast the children, we don’t counsel. No guidelines and regular inputs for life skills, sexuality education, and conflict management are not a priority. We glorify violence, alcohol drug abuse. We don’t intervene early when boys show trauma and deviant behaviour.”
She called for safe houses, social workers in schools and positive masculinity programmes to teach boys about consent, respect, anger management, rejection and personal responsibility.
“Let us create safe houses and have school social workers in every school. We need positive masculinity programs to teach boys’ consent, respect, how to handle anger, rejection, create future of work and take responsibility for their own wrongs. It is essential to keep boys busy with productive matters.“
4×4 Initiative foundation founder Sidney Boois said research conducted through his initiative shows that many boys are battling childhood trauma that is neither heard nor adequately addressed.
He said many of the boys his initiative works with are raised by single mothers and lack the involvement of fathers or positive male figures.
“Some boys upbringings are not grounded. The mother can be there, but some values, principals and educations needs to come from a father figure,” Boois said.
Boois said more research is needed to expose the extent of the problems facing boys, while Namibia lacks sufficient resources to address their psychological and emotional challenges.
“For us it can’t be business as usual anymore. The grooming and education of the boy child can’t be business as usual. We have to bring in new educational subjects such as emotional regulation and mental health.”
Boois said Namibia already knows that many boys are struggling, but discussions have not translated into sufficient action.
“The problems that the boy child is facing is not unknown in Namibia. Everybody is talking it, even in parliament, but no action is being taken. Most of our boys are frustrated and discouraged from what they are doing. Men let us roll up our shelves and stand up. Society needs us now. We cannot just be sitting in broadrooms anymore. Let’s make time to help each other. This is an emergency and we have to act now.”
Capstone Research Consultancy founding managing director Ben Uugwanga said parents and society must take greater responsibility for the moral upbringing of children, including teaching young people self- control, love and purpose.
“At 16 years old such crimes are not expected. Parents are absent in instilling children with spiritual and moral values because of the influences of secularism and carefreeness. We need to raise up a child in the ways of God. Communities should be each other’s keepers. Government should use the media to inculcate moral values. The Church should intercede, counsel and nurture young people through youth
programs by developing them into responsible adults,” Uugwanga said.
He said the education system must also help nurture boys into responsible men, while young people should be inspired to become purpose-driven and responsible.
Uugwanga further called for boys to be empowered through skills training, entrepreneurship and mentorship.
University of Namibia lecturer and political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah said the case is a reminder that crime involving young people requires urgent attention.
“Young people must be held accountable for their actions, but their age and the possibility of rehabilitation should also be considered,” Kamwanyah said.
He said Namibia is failing some young people through inadequate guidance, support and opportunities, while family challenges, peer pressure, substance abuse, unemployment and a lack of mentorship can contribute to youth crime.
Kamwanyah called for stronger family support, better parenting programmes, youth centres, counselling services, mentorship and greater opportunities in education, sport and skills development.
“We should not wait until a young person commits a serious crime before we pay attention to them. We need to listen to our young people, understand their struggles and intervene early. Schools, churches, communities and the government must work together to guide young boys towards a better future. We need to address these problems before they lead to tragedy.”
