By Aldrin Mukendwa
THE Katima Mulilo Town Council has officially inaugurated 15 streets in Katima Mulilo to war veterans and the traditional leaders.
Among the beneficiaries is the former chief of the Mafwe tribe , Mr. Richard Temuso Muhinda , who also served as the chief Minister in the then Administration for Caprivians.
Katima Council reversed its decision in renaming Chikamatondo Street to Mr. Muhinda (Chief Mamili V) than it was publicly announced earlier in naming him after Ňwanyi which means a Fish Eagle in (siLozi)
He was honoured with a street which stretches the western side of the old location Ngweze, one of the longest streets, his street connects the street of the current Namibian Prime Minister who is the 3rd Namibian President – elect Dr. Hage Geingob in the north west, which was previously called Imukusi Street, while in the south west it connects to Dr. Sam Nujoma Street formerly known as Malena street.
Speaking at an inauguration ceremony held at wooden bridge which is at the banks of Zambezi River was Katima Mulilo Mayor, Mr. Charles Matengu.
“I want to praise Katima Mulilo Town Council while we are still here to say that we are moving in the right direction and this step is one of those issues whereby we are taking the town in the right direction” noted Katima Mayor
Family members of late Judea Lyabboloma, Doreen Sioka and Late Felix Mukupi witnessed the ceremony.
“in the same vein this is a very happy and emotional event because some of the family members are no more, others are alive, I know how their parents died, I remember comrade Ndopu the father of the CRO at Zambezi Regional Council, he told me that one time they walked from Bukalo with my cousin Induna Mwala Mwala at Bukalo here is no more he passed away for five days until their father was in 1964 to issue a card of CANU to Mr. Judea Lyabboloma and Mr. Ndopu was saying to me when he got that card he was very happy.”
Mayor Matengu promised that “next we are not going to look to political figures, we are going to look into other fields like education, sports, musicians so the list is long, this one is political and more traditional and as we move to next we will have a broad rage”.
Namibian political personalities such as Dr. Sam Nujoma , Andimba Toivo ya Toivo and Tobias Hainyeko are among the new streets named in the town of Katima Mulilo.
A Caprivian hero, Judea Lyabboloma who was killed by the South African Police who died in the name of Caprivi African National Union (CANU) was honoured with a long street that connects Lifasi Street from the main town to Dr. Sam Nujoma Street.
Former Member of Parliament, cabinet minister and a diplomat late Richard Kapelwa Kabajani also received a street.
Late Boniface Likando the first councillor of Kabbe Constituency and late Paddy Mwazi, a SWAPO activist in the Caprivi Strip, were both honoured with streets.
Trollope Street, which was named after Major LFW Trollope the first magistrate of Caprivi Strip from 1939 to 1952, was renamed as Doreen Sioka Street.
Late Masubia Chief Joshua Mutwa Moraliswani,(1945 – 1996 ), the first chief minister in the Bantustan Administration for Caprivians and the current Masubia Chief Kisco Maiba Liswani III and Mayei Chief Boniface Sifu received brand new streets respectively.
Simasiku Street was properly renamed as Chief Simasiku Mamili of the Mafwe Tribe and Mayuni Street was also properly renamed as Chief Tembwe Mayuni of the Mashi Community.
“For me this event is part of history making because we are naming our own heroes for the first time, we want to get rid of these meaningless names we want to name this town in terms of streets and locations with people that played a part”.
Mr.Matengu further noted that some of the heroes and heroines will be honoured posthumously “There is a term they call legacy the good things that you made for the people you know we talk about the Lupalezwi and the Mwazi they took education to the next level, our honorable Chief Richard Muhinda was here to lay the foundation of the town”.
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