Don't give in to despair – guard the dream

Namibians gather once more to remember Heroes Day, a date written in blood and fire across our nation’s history. It is a day when we pause to honour those who crossed the borders, who carried rifles and hope in equal measure, who traded the certainty of life for the possibility of freedom. Their names echo through villages, towns and unmarked graves – eternal reminders of the price paid by so many for independence.Yet, thirty-five years after the flag was hoisted in triumph, a bitter undercurrent lingers. For many Namibians – and indeed Africans across the continent – the futures promised by liberation movements have not fully materialised. Corruption, inequality and exclusion have betrayed the visions of justice, prosperity and dignity for which so many fought. The children of the struggle look at broken systems and unfulfilled dreams and wonder if the sacrifice was in vain.But to give in to despair is to dishonour the fallen. The failures of leadership must never erase the nobility of those who laid down their lives. The weakness of those who inherited power should not overshadow the courage of those who paved the way to achieve it. Heroes Day is not a celebration of governments or ruling elites. It is a sacred covenant with the men and women who believed that the soil of Africa was worth their last breath.As we mark this day, let us renew our fidelity not to party or position, but to the promise of freedom itself. The task of each generation is to redeem that promise, to build a Namibia – and Africa – where the dreams of the fallen are no longer deferred. Let the dream live for long.

Don't give in to despair – guard the dream

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Namibian Sun 2025-08-26

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Don't give in to despair – guard the dream

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Namibian Sun 2025-08-26

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