Mukwiilongo laid to rest

Thousands of mourners gathered this weekend at Onatshiku village in Elim in the Omusati Region to pay their last respects to a freedom fighter, national leader, church leader and businessman Leonard Nangolo Mukwiilongo.Mukwiilongo, 93, died in the Ongwediva Medipark Private Hospital on 24 May following a vicious attack by armed robbers at his home in Onatshiku village on 11 April.President Hage Geingob said that it is a pity for someone who survived the bitter battles of the liberation struggle to die in such a cruel way at the hands of his own people. He called on the Namibian youth to respect their elders.“Someone who went into exile and survived many battles by the coloniser just to lose his life in this way is a shame. When I heard about the incident and that they were not yet arrested I called the Inspector-General of the police, Lieutenant-General Sebastian Ndeitunga that they must be arrested immediately. Later he called me saying that they were arrested, but one is still on run. If they are found guilty they deserve stiff sentences because they are not needed in society,” Geingob saidMukwiilongo is remembered as the founding governor of the Omusati Region from 1992 up to 1998 and first councillor for Elim constituency from 1992 to 2004. He started doing business in the 1960s and in 1962 he, together with other business people of that time, founded the Owambo Business Association that later became the Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI). Founding President Sam Nujoma described Mukwiilongo as a founder of Ovamboland People's Organisation (OPO), the forerunner of Swapo. He also described him as pioneer of Namibia's liberation struggle who did not waver during the struggle for independence.Nujoma told mourners that Mukwiilongo was marked as one of the top Swapo leaders in March 1972 after he refused an offer by the South African colonial Administrator General Jan de Wet that Mukwiilongo and other business people such David Sheehama and Silvanus Vatuva, form part of the delegation of the council of traditional leaders to meet the then United Nations secretary-general Kurt Waldheim who was visiting the region at the time. “Mukwiilongo told De Wet that in their culture only the king and senior traditional leaders are authorised to select those who will form part of the delegation and not De Wet. “From that incident, Comrade Mukwiilongo was marked as one of Swapo's top leaders together with John yaOtto, Marco Hausiku, Josea Hoabeb, Antony Johannes and many others who suffered constant harassment by the apartheid regime of South Africa,” Nujoma saidMukwiilongo was also a church leader and on 3 May 1980, he was assisted by ELCIN and the Council of Churches in Namibia to escape the country and went into exile in Finland and Germany. While in Europe he studied financial management, church administration management and logistics management.“While in exile he became the vice-secretary of Swapo elder's council deputising Simon Mzee Kaukungwa. “He was tasked with managing the Swapo warehouse. He was a dedicated cadre and we will make sure to keep his legacy alive.” Mukwiilongo is survived by eight children.ILENI NANDJATO

Mukwiilongo laid to rest

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-02

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Mukwiilongo laid to rest

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Namibian Sun 2025-05-02

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