Deadlock over governor's final resting place
There is a stalemate among family members of the late Kunene governor Angelika Muharukua over her final resting place.
As a result there is now confusion as to whether the funeral will take place this weekend.
Muharukua's special advisor, Katuutire Kaura, yesterday told ww that the deadlock had put funeral arrangements on hold.
“We have been dealing with this since Monday last week. I don't really know what her personal preferences were,” he said when asked about claims that the late governor wanted to be buried next to her father in Kunene.
Last week, the presidency announced that the governor would be accorded a hero's funeral, with the burial to take place at Heroes' Acre south of Windhoek.
However, the family is divided on whether she must be buried in Windhoek or next to her father's grave at Ovinjange.
On Tuesday government postponed a memorial service that was due to take place yesterday at Okatjetje village in Kunene. No reasons were given for the postponement.
When contacted yesterday the information ministry permanent secretary, Mbeuta Ua-Ndjarakana, confirmed that the government was waiting upon the family to decide on the way forward.
He also emphasised that flags would only be flown at half-mast once the president had gazetted the mourning period after the family had made a decision.
“We cannot fly flags at half-mast for the whole year,” he said.
Ua-Ndjarakana said the family's final decision would be respected. He added that the government only offered a befitting site at the Heroes' Acre for the burial and it was not a command.
“We will continue to mourn and remember her as our hero and bury her according to the wishes of the family,” he said.
A source at the information ministry said the funeral was likely to take place next week. The presidency promised to release the programme for the funeral yesterday morning but at the time of going to press, there was still no communication in this regard. Muharukua died at her Windhoek home from a suspected heart attack. She was 59.
JEMIMA BEUKES
As a result there is now confusion as to whether the funeral will take place this weekend.
Muharukua's special advisor, Katuutire Kaura, yesterday told ww that the deadlock had put funeral arrangements on hold.
“We have been dealing with this since Monday last week. I don't really know what her personal preferences were,” he said when asked about claims that the late governor wanted to be buried next to her father in Kunene.
Last week, the presidency announced that the governor would be accorded a hero's funeral, with the burial to take place at Heroes' Acre south of Windhoek.
However, the family is divided on whether she must be buried in Windhoek or next to her father's grave at Ovinjange.
On Tuesday government postponed a memorial service that was due to take place yesterday at Okatjetje village in Kunene. No reasons were given for the postponement.
When contacted yesterday the information ministry permanent secretary, Mbeuta Ua-Ndjarakana, confirmed that the government was waiting upon the family to decide on the way forward.
He also emphasised that flags would only be flown at half-mast once the president had gazetted the mourning period after the family had made a decision.
“We cannot fly flags at half-mast for the whole year,” he said.
Ua-Ndjarakana said the family's final decision would be respected. He added that the government only offered a befitting site at the Heroes' Acre for the burial and it was not a command.
“We will continue to mourn and remember her as our hero and bury her according to the wishes of the family,” he said.
A source at the information ministry said the funeral was likely to take place next week. The presidency promised to release the programme for the funeral yesterday morning but at the time of going to press, there was still no communication in this regard. Muharukua died at her Windhoek home from a suspected heart attack. She was 59.
JEMIMA BEUKES
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