The Chi-Chi I knew

Job Shipululo Amupanda writes: How do we respond to death? Some respond with tears and emotion. Some conclude that it is the work of the Lord so nothing is to be done. But how do we deal with it? I was in the departmental meeting at the University of Namibia when the sad news came in that Comrade Chi-Chi, Nancy Muinjo, had passed on. It was at the University of Namibia where I met Comrade Chi-Chi in 2006. I would have to go back to my record to determine the year between 2006 and 2008 when she served as our secretary for the Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) Unam branch. Yes, she was our leader, she taught us politics - something that shocked many for they saw her as a radio and TV personality. When the youth league recommended her to be the personal assistant of the then Secretary-General of Swapo, Comrade Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana, journalists ran stories of how Chi-Chi had ‘surprisingly’ entered politics. They did not know about her involvement in the youth league. As the then spokesperson of the SPYL I remember discussing with the SPYL secretary, Comrade Tjitunga Ngurare, while I was in China about releasing a statement to hit back at uninformed media commentary that suggested that Comrade Chi-Chi was a newcomer to politics. In the corridors of Unam, Chi-Chi would always be smiling and talking to students with her short friend Diana Destiny. She loved to chill at the Café inside the Main Hall at the University. In the past 10 years, I never saw Comrade Chi-Chi angry. After she was diagnosed, I always feared this day. In our discussions I always avoided discussing her condition; I preferred pretending all was well. She had a different way of showing she disagreed with me. Whenever she didn’t agree with me, she would laugh and shake her head and I would already click. “My comraaaaade,” in that voice of hers, she would greet me. I would soon discover, towards the end of 2008, that Meme Menesia Muinjo was her mother. I would discover that Ndemufayo Mbwalala, my Secretary for Recreation under my leadership of the SRC as president, was her close relative. Indeed, I would discover that Fluksman Samuel, a friend and fellow scholar of International Relations, was her uncle. Chi-Chi had a good family; a hardworking and kind family of social sophistication. The last time we met, we discussed Affirmative Repositioning (AR). I was with Dimbulukeni Nauyoma. She was worried about us in general and me in particular. I told her not to worry. We talked about her mother’s poem, ‘The Pillow’, which I heard her recite at Fayo’s graduation. I attempted to convince her to convince her mother to publish her poems. I guess I no longer have an ally to convince Meme Menesia; I am alone now. To deal with Comrade Chi-Chi’s death I will choose the path taken by Thomas Sankara as opposed to sentimentalism. Thomas Sankara dealt with death in a different way. Take the example of how he dealt with the death of the Mozambican revolutionary Samora Machel. Sankara comforted the Burkinabe warning them against falling into “sentimentalism…with sentimentalism one cannot understand death. Sentimentalism belongs to the messianic vision of the world, which, since it expects a single man to transform the universe, inspires lamentation, discouragement and despondency as soon as this man disappears. Samora Machel is dead. His death must serve to enlighten and strengthen us as revolutionaries…I ask you to name streets, buildings and so on after Samora Machel over the whole expanse of our territories, because he deserves it.” To the youth, Comrade Chi-Chi is dead. Her death must serve to enlighten and strengthen us as youth and revolutionaries. Her courage and fighting spirit must inspire us. Her work ethic, educational achievements, kind soul and spirit must captivate us. To comrade Chi-Chi, I can only reproduce your own words; “My comraaaaade.” Who knows, we might join you soon. But before that we will fight on and on, for you. Proceed well, my comraaaaade.