A hero’s journey ?‘’Yes indeed I am back to Swapo, the party where I spent much of my better life. “Swapo is transformed into the all-inclusive party as it was; this is the Swapo I knew.
Swapo is enlightened by the able leadership of my friend and brother Hage Geingob. Therefore, I have decided to come back to my true political home and if necessary, I am prepared to die in Swapo.
“This is the legacy of my family, the legacy of my children and the legacy of my grandchildren’’.
These were the words of Hidipo Hamutenya when he re-joined Swapo from the RDP in August last year.
HH, as he was affectionately known, may no longer be with us, but one thing is certain – that his life has touched and influenced many.
Those schooled by Hamutenya in exile described him as a shrewd politician and strategist par excellence.
To many he was their hero and a profound source of inspiration. His attributes have not gone unnoticed by his peers and political friends, which includes Geingob and former Speaker of the National Assembly Theo-Ben Gurirab.
Today Namibia is a well-established democratic country thanks to the likes of Hamutenya and many others who contributed a lot and fought for the nation’s freedom.
Hamutenya’s bravery to stand tall in the face of adversity will go down in the history of the liberation struggle and our country shining on for all to see.
Namibia has indeed lost a stalwart and son of the soil whose struggle credentials are above question.
As we celebrate the life of Hamutenya, we must do so with a deep sense of gratitude and humility.
And as DTA’s McHenry Venaani pointed out in his tribute, we should start celebrating the lives of our icons while they are still alive.
We shall continue to remember his life’s journey with the highs and the lows, like any human life, but one