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Covid-19: Former Rundu mayor Ihemba succumbs

Kenya Kambowe
KENYA KAMBOWE

RUNDU

Rundu mayor Gabriel Kanyanga has described former Rundu councillor Ralf Ihemba, who died from Covid-19 yesterday, as a hero and a loyal Swapo cadre.

Kanyanga confirmed that Ihemba’s had died of Covid-19 in a Windhoek hospital around 03:00 yesterday morning.

Rumours that Ihemba had died over the weekend were dispelled with confirmation that the politician had in fact died yesterday.

Details about Ihemba’s battle with the virus remain sketchy.

Ihemba served as a Rundu town council office-bearer for five years, representing the ruling Swapo Party from 2015 until 2020.

He served as deputy mayor to Verna Sinimbo, who is the current deputy minister of trade.

He briefly became mayor after a standoff with the top Swapo leadership in Windhoek, but was removed along with the other councillors as fighting intensified.

Eventually, the ministry appointed an administrator to run the town’s affairs until last year’s local authority elections when new office-bearers were elected.

Shock

Kanyanga said he was shocked by the news of Ihemba’s death.

“It was a shock. One does not know what to do. As the death is Covid-19 related, you don’t know where to turn to,” Kanyanga said.

“As a council we feel that we lost a hero, a friend and a brother. We don’t have words to describe him. We did not expect him to go this soon. It is a challenge,” Kanyanga said.

“What we are saying is that God must send us the energy to console us and the family.”

Attempts to get comment from former councillors were unsuccessful at the time of going to print.

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Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 221.84/OZ UP +1.42% | Copper US$ 3.99/lb UP +0.11% | Zinc US$ 2 451.00/T UP 0.08% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 87.60/BBP UP +1.40% | Platinum US$ 907.72/OZ UP +1.43% Sport results: Weather: Katima Mulilo: 19° | 37° Rundu: 17° | 33° Eenhana: 18° | 33° Oshakati: 20° | 31° Ruacana: 19° | 33° Tsumeb: 17° | 29° Otjiwarongo: 16° | 28° Omaruru: 18° | 31° Windhoek: 17° | 28° Gobabis: 17° | 28° Henties Bay: 16° | 19° Wind speed: 24km/h, Wind direction: S, Low tide: 10:54, High tide: 04:57, Low Tide: 22:58, High tide: 17:16 Swakopmund: 15° | 17° Wind speed: 29km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 10:52, High tide: 04:55, Low Tide: 22:56, High tide: 17:14 Walvis Bay: 16° | 22° Wind speed: 33km/h, Wind direction: SW, Low tide: 10:52, High tide: 04:54, Low Tide: 22:56, High tide: 17:13 Rehoboth: 18° | 29° Mariental: 22° | 32° Keetmanshoop: 21° | 34° Aranos: 21° | 31° Lüderitz: 15° | 29° Ariamsvlei: 23° | 34° Oranjemund: 15° | 21° Luanda: 27° | 30° Gaborone: 20° | 32° Lubumbashi: 17° | 24° Mbabane: 15° | 23° Maseru: 12° | 28° Antananarivo: 16° | 27° Lilongwe: 17° | 29° Maputo: 20° | 28° Windhoek: 17° | 28° Cape Town: 17° | 23° Durban: 21° | 25° Johannesburg: 18° | 28° Dar es Salaam: 26° | 32° Lusaka: 18° | 30° Harare: 15° | 31° Economic Indicators: Currency: GBP to NAD 23.85 | EUR to NAD 20.42 | CNY to NAD 2.62 | USD to NAD 18.93 | DZD to NAD 0.14 | AOA to NAD 0.02 | BWP to NAD 1.33 | EGP to NAD 0.39 | KES to NAD 0.14 | NGN to NAD 0.01 | ZMW to NAD 0.74 | ZWL to NAD 0.04 | BRL to NAD 3.8 | RUB to NAD 0.2 | INR to NAD 0.23 | USD to DZD 134.09 | USD to AOA 832.63 | USD to BWP 13.71 | USD to EGP 47.35 | USD to KES 130.98 | USD to NGN 1415.13 | USD to ZAR 18.93 | USD to ZMW 25.01 | USD to ZWL 321 | Stock Exchange: JSE All Share Index 74536 Up +0.85% | Namibian Stock Exchange (NSX) Overall Index 1528.69 Up +0.84% | Casablanca Stock Exchange (CSE) MASI 12986.94 Up +0.04% | Egyptian Exchange (EGX) 30 Index 27559.35 Down -2.36% | Botswana Stock Exchange (BSE) DCI Same 0 | NSX: MTC 7.75 SAME | Anirep 8.99 SAME | Capricorn Investment group 17.34 SAME | FirstRand Namibia Ltd 49 DOWN 0.50% | Letshego Holdings (Namibia) Ltd 4.1 UP 2.50% | Namibia Asset Management Ltd 0.7 SAME | Namibia Breweries Ltd 31.49 UP 0.03% | Nictus Holdings - Nam 2.22 SAME | Oryx Properties Ltd 12.1 UP 1.70% | Paratus Namibia Holdings 11.99 SAME | SBN Holdings 8.45 SAME | Trustco Group Holdings Ltd 0.48 SAME | B2Gold Corporation 47.34 DOWN 1.50% | Local Index closed 677.62 UP 0.12% | Overall Index closed 1534.6 DOWN 0.05% | Osino Resources Corp 19.47 DOWN 2.41% | Commodities: Gold US$ 2 221.84/OZ UP +1.42% | Copper US$ 3.99/lb UP +0.11% | Zinc US$ 2 451.00/T UP 0.08% | Brent Crude Oil US$ 87.60/BBP UP +1.40% | Platinum US$ 907.72/OZ UP +1.43%