A hero has fallenNamibians, including leaders from across the political divide, have expressed their grief following the death of one of the country’s heroes. Nation unites in mourning Hidipo Hamutenya Struggle icon Hidipo Hamutenya has been hailed as a great freedom fighter and one of the country’s bravest sons. Hamutenya died yesterday morning in a Windhoek hospital after a long illness. He was 77.
Leading the tributes was President Hage Geingob, who visited the bereaved family shortly before flying to South Africa on an official mission.
Geingob is a close friend of Hamutenya and played a key role in Hamutenya ditching the RDP and rejoining Swapo last year.
“The family have lost a father. I have lost a personal comrade and a man that I grew up with. Namibia also lost one of those who contributed to the struggle and independence. I hope he will now have eternal peace as we know he suffered a lot,” Geingob told NBC at the Hamutenya residence.
Linekela Hamutenya said his father was a humble man, completely in love with his country.
“He was a man of very high intelligence, very kind, very humble. A man of the people, his only wish was to live a humble life and to see his country gain independence. I am just honoured to be his son and having had the opportunity to live with such a great man,” an emotional Linekela said.
DTA leader McHenry Venaani also hailed Hamutenya’s contribution to Namibia’s independence. Venaani said Hamutenya was an icon and everything that he sacrificed for the country would never be forgotten.
“From the sacrifices he made during the liberation struggle by going into exile in Zambia and other countries, to persistently petitioning the United Nations for Namibia’s independence, to being one of the members of the Constituent Assembly who wrote the constitution of this country,” said Venaani.
“My only regret is that this legacy was never celebrated while he was with us. Let us take a lesson from this and celebrate the lives of living legends and icons among us while they are here, not only to share their stories but to know that they are appreciated.”
Patriot
Swapo’s Nangolo Mbumba said Hamutenya’s historical comeback last year was a happy moment for the ruling party.
“He was a patriot who had devoted his youth and early years towards the cause of the liberation struggle. Everything he did, even all the statements he issued in defence of the liberation struggle, he did so as a true patriot,” said Mbumba.
RDP president Jeremiah Nambinga urged the government to afford Hamutenya a fitting state funeral.
Nambinga added that Hamutenya’s death was a huge loss for the RDP.
“He assisted us to form the RDP and for some time we used his house as the party headquarters and for that we are most grateful for him,” said Nambinga.
Tactful and shrewd
Hamutenya who was a former trade, information and foreign minister, was regarded by many in Swapo as a tactful, shrewd politician and diplomat.
After leaving the country for exile in the 1960s, Hamutenya studied in the USA together with Geingob and former National Assembly Speaker Theo-Ben Gurirab. The trio, among others, represented Swapo in the Americas, including mobilising support for the party and Namibia’s cause for independence at the United Nations in New York.
Armed with qualifications in journalism and political science, including a Master of Arts degree, Hamutenya later became Swapo’s secretary for education and was the deputy head of the UN Institute for Namibia in Lusaka in the late 1970s.
His many years of experience in international diplomacy were attributed to his successful track record as foreign affairs minister.
According to the Guide to Namibian Politics, HH, as he was affectionately known, was named African Personality of the Year by London-based magazine fDi for his efforts to bring in foreign investment. However, his tenure at the foreign affairs ministry ended in 2004 when former President Sam Nujoma summarily dismissed him – just four days before an important Swapo elective congress at which he was a presidential nominee.
At the congress Swapo elected its presidential candidate, with former President Hifikepunye Pohamba, who was Nujoma’s preferred candidate, winning the contest following a run-off vote against Hamutenya. Nahas Angula, the third presidential candidate, fell out in the first round.
Hamutenya later left Swapo and formed the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) in 2007, which became the official opposition following the 2009 general election. The party, however, did badly in the 2014 elections, with Hamutenya suffering an embarrassing electoral defeat at the hands of Geingob.
The DTA under Venaani later replaced the RDP as the official opposition. Following the 2014 vote, Hamutenya came under increasing pressure to step down as party president. In August last year he surprised many when he rejoined Swapo and boldly declared that he would “die in Swapo”.
Hamutenya leaves behind his wife, Nangula, and five children. Funeral arrangements are expected to be announced in due course.
JEMIMA BEUKES