THE recent graduation of police recruits from the Ondangwa Police Training Camp has posed a serious question, namely, are these officers fit enough for office?

Last week Friday, January 30, some 412 cadet constables attended their graduation ceremony after completing six months of basic police training.
During the ceremony at Oshakati’s Independence Stadium, at least seven police recruits fainted while standing in line for inspection by the Minister of Safety and Security, Dr Nickey Iyambo and Inspector General of the Namibian Police Force, Lieutenant-General Sebastian Ndeitunga. 
Police officers fainting whilst standing in a graduation parade have become a regular occurrence, particularly in the North where temperatures reach as high as 36°C in summer.
“It’s an embarrassing sight when police officers suddenly start fainting during their graduation ceremony. It is especially embarrassing because you have dignitaries there and respectable high ranking police officers,” said an attendee at the graduation ceremony.
The main concern is that with the pressure on the Ministry of Safety and Security to reach the target set by the Third National Development Plan (NDP3), police officers not fit enough to carry out their duties, are being recruited.
The annual target has been set for 1,000 new police officers, meaning that the 412 graduates do not even represent 50% of the annual target.
“Due to budgetary limitations, this may not be achieved, but as Minister of Safety and Security, I will do everything in my power to ensure that our NDP3 goals, including police recruitment, are expedited,” Iyambo promised.
Ndeitunga added that the number of recruits in the North was only a ‘drop in the sea’, as the police force was experiencing manpower shortages in all 13 regions.
“In the current financial year alone, the Namibian Police has lost 318 members due to death, retirement, resignations, discharges and transfers to other government ministries…We are left with a shortage of 588 members,” said Ndeitunga.
The Inspector General added that although they had the capacity to train 620 officers at the two existing training camps in the country - Ondangwa Police Training Camp and Pius Joseph Kaundu Training Centre in the Omaheke region - the force still faces significant shortages.
Oshana Regional Commander, Deputy Commissioner Ndahangwapo Kashihakumwa said that the fainting of police officers during the graduation can be attributed not only to the harsh Northern weather, but also to the fact that the recruits only underwent six months of basic police training.
“They have not yet built up the necessary stamina that it takes to be in the police force. These guys underwent very basic police training, and they are still learning,” said Kashihakumwa.
He added that the fainting should, however, not be attributed to other reasons such as alcohol intake or lack of food.