Dungeon victims irked by ‘vengeance’ claims

Breaking the Wall of Silence (BWS), a group that advocates for justice for ex-Swapo detainees, has hit back at claims that its members returned from exile “bitter and full of vengeance”.They were responding to remarks made by Ellen Musialela, a former Swapo freedom fighter, who last week described First Lady Sustjie Mbumba as a good person who is not bitter or full or vengeance like other people who were subjected to interrogations in the so-called Lubango dungeons.Musialela told Namibian Sun: “She never changed or became bitter about her past. I won&#039;t even try to describe what happened there, but many people who went through the same thing came back bitter and full of vengeance”.BWS acting chairperson Oiva Angula accused Musialela of attempting to re-enter politics through opportunistic means. According to him, she is trying to curry favour with the new first family by exploiting the pain of ex-detainees through backdoor methods.“Madam Sustjie Mbumba has been the wife of her prominent husband and politician for decades and she has been around since independence. It is nothing but the epitome of pure brazen political opportunism to come out now to sing Madam Mbumba’s praises when she has become the first lady of our nation,” he said.Misguided attemptIn a statement issued on Sunday, Angula said Musialela’s remarks are a “misguided attempt” to tarnish the reputation of former Swapo detainees.“What prompted a legendary political failure like Madam Musialela to stretch her imagination so wildly? Why insult the ex-detainees in such an uncivil fashion? Only damaged, frustratingly unhappy people feel the desire to paint others in a bad light with such deprecatory, mind-boggling characterisation. “Clearly, being detached from the corridors of power has done incalculable damage to Madam Musialela’s psyche and her capacity for rational thought - as is evident in her characterisation of the majority of ex-detainees based entirely on a figment of her warped imagination, rather than on hard facts and reality,” he fumed. According to Angula, on 15 May 2019, DWS had a meeting with late president Hage Geingob at State House to discuss its stance on crimes committed during the liberation struggle, adding that the group committed to restorative justice over vengeance. During the encounter, DWS clarified that its approach aimed to address the painful chapter of Lubango through dialogue and action, with the goal of healing wounds and restoring broken relationships for a reconciled Namibia, he said.Angry, not bitter“Our membership is not a vengeful lot, because we believe vengeance is never the answer to the horrors we experienced in the Lubango dungeons over many years. Vengeance is more of an action immature people with low emotional intelligence harbour,” Angula charged.“While ex-detainees should be angry, they are not bitter. Bitterness is like cancer. It eats upon the host. Or does Madam Musialela perhaps have facts to demonstrate to Namibians her ‘bitter and full of vengeance’ twaddle? “Short of this, it shows some in our society are more opportunistic than principled. Seemingly, her political conduct is driven by personal convenience rather than by conviction and virtue,” he said.jemima@namibiansun.com

Dungeon victims irked by ‘vengeance’ claims

Comments

Namibian Sun 2026-04-21

Please login to leave a comment

Dungeon victims irked by ‘vengeance’ claims

Comments

Namibian Sun 2026-04-21

Please login to leave a comment

Subscription Required to Access Content ×

Login

Subscription Required to Access Content