Geingob off to Swaziland

President Hage Geingob told thousands of Heroes’ Day attendees that the battle of Ongulumbashe was a watershed moment in the fight for Namibia’s independence and marked the beginning of the armed struggle.
People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN) combatants under the leadership of John Ya Otto Nankudhu fired the first shots of the war when they engaged the South African Defence Force at Ongulumbashe.
“We are grateful for individuals whose elevated moral stature and superior ability enabled them to pursue the goal of freedom indefatigably in the face of powerful antagonists. Because of their unwavering devotion they attained hero status and immortalised themselves through their outstanding feats which we commemorate today.”
The president described the late Peter Eneas ‘Ndilimani’ Nanyemba as an outstanding freedom fighter and said the PLAN commander was an exemplar of the heroic selflessness of the heroes of the struggle.
“Nanyemba illustrated the true essence of heroism. Like him, many other gallant sons and daughters chose to forgo their own personal wellbeing in order to attain a greater goal. They showed exceptional courage in the face of harm and danger and exhibited a peerless level of heroic conduct in fulfilling a higher purpose and achieving a noble end. That higher purpose was freedom and the noble end was independence.”
The president also paid tribute to the many patriots who did not waver in the face of daunting opposition and said Heroes’ Day serves the purpose of commemorating their bravery and celebrating the fruits of their sacrifice.
“Our heroes and heroines achieved victory and did not choose the path of retribution, but instead listened to the voice of peace and showed forgiveness in adopting the principle of reconciliation. Today we are living in a free and independent Namibia, have democracy, unity, peace, stability and the rule of law because many were willing to die for it.”
The president called on Namibians to take time to reflect on what the heroines and heroes fought for and said it was because of their sacrifices Namibians are living in a country founded on the principles of effective governance, respect for the rule of law, respect for human life, dignity, and unity.
“It is one thing honouring our heroes and heroines with statues, monuments, songs and well-articulated tributes, but if we truly want to honour the memory of our valiant sons and daughters, then the best way to do that is to preserve and build upon the principles they fought for.
“Let us therefore not be bored by the peace and stability for which we are the envy of many nations. Many chose to fight for peace because they grew weary of war, hatred, division and mistrust. Let us be grateful for the fact that we do not need to live in such difficult times anymore.”
The president reminded Namibians not to ignore the reality that faces many nations but to guard the freedom and peace they enjoy.
“We have too much to be happy for. We enjoy safety and the harmony that exists amongst us is precious. Scores of people are killed daily, while others risk death to flee their countries of birth. These nightmare scenarios are a distant memory, and many of our younger generations are unable to relate to such scenes in Namibia. This is all due to the fact that those who came before them laid down their lives so that freedom and peace can prevail today”
The president also paid tribute to the men and women of the uniformed services and told them that they have inherited the torch of freedom and justice passed on by those honoured on Heroes’ Day.

OTIS FINCK