The Windhoek community gathered at the Bet-El Lutheran Parish to honor the memory of six members of the !Naruseb family, whose tragic deaths in Usakos have sparked nationwide calls for action against drug and alcohol abuse and gender-based violence.  

The memorial service, led by several spiritual leaders, featured a somber sermon from Reverend Betty Schröder, who offered comfort to the grieving family and community. She emphasized the urgent need to address alcohol and drug abuse among the youth while stressing the importance of tackling gender-based violence in society.  

"I want to encourage the young people tonight from a space of experience because this evil, this calamity, can really take over our lives, and therefore silence is not an option."  

The brutal nature of the crime has sent shockwaves across Namibia. Over the weekend, six members of the !Naruseb family were found murdered and burned in Usakos.  

Emotions ran high during the memorial as speaker after speaker condemned the rising levels of drug abuse in local communities. Ricoberto Garere Am! Gabeb, a local youth, encouraged his peers to steer clear of drugs. He also urged the public to hold law enforcement accountable, particularly those allegedly complicit in the drug crisis.  

"I am asking the law enforcement officials: the drugs in our community are in our homes because they enter under your watch. You call me and tell me, ‘We are on our way to search your house, hide the drugs.’ What change do we want when police officers work together with drug lords?"