The Namib passport

Did you know that in 1966, more than twenty years before Namibia gained its independence, a Namib passport came into circulation.

The ‘Namib (SWA)’ passport was distributed by the South West Africa National United Front (SWANUF) to – as stated inside – ‘provide South West African nationals with a legitimate document which can serve in lieu of a South West African colonial government passport’. It is not known how many passports were issued or how many people were able to travel in Africa with it.

I came across this precursor to the future when I was given one by the late Professor Kerina. It was passport no 202 with Kenyan stamps from 1972 embossed on its pages and a photograph of a young, strapping Mburumba Kerina.

The other day while I was looking though papers in my office, I happened across my old friend’s Namib passport once again. He had, thankfully, lived to see his Namib passport become a reality when in 1990 we Namibians could proudly bear our own ‘Republic of Namibia’ passports, this time issued by the Namibian government.

Holding Prof’s Namib passport to my heart, a jewel from the past, I was reminded how the road to peace, freedom and democracy had been paved by many who dreamed of the future and made it a reality.