Mbumba acknowledges Simbwaye, Matongo as freedom fighters

Story by Risco Lumamezi

THE Namibian President , Dr. Nangolo Mbumba has acknowledged two Caprivian heroes , late Brendan Kangongolo Simbwaye and Greenwell Simasiku Matongo for their sacrifice towards Namibia’s independence.

He assured  the residents of Zambezi  that  Zambezi region played  a very important role  in the liberation  struggle  of Namibia as it was used as a gate door, for seeking refuge and freedom to neighbouring countries ,  where many  people gathered in crossing into exile fighting  for the Independence of Namibia,  and as such it is where many people were tortured and killed by military apartheid South Africa.

He stressed that late Simbwaye, former Vice President of SWAPO and late Matongo, former PLAN Commissar are among those Namibians who have died for freedom of Namibia during liberation struggle.  

“Namibia’s independence on March 21, 1990 , was made possible through the brave exploits

of the sons and daughters of our soil, including many from the Zambezi region such as the late Brendan Kangongolo Simbwaye, SWAPO Vice President and the late Greenwell Simasiku Matongo, PLAN Commissar, who traversed the perilous passage to freedom, crossing many rivers of blood along the way.”

President Mbumba commended them that their unwavering determination and laudable gallantry was culminated in the attainment of the freedom, peace, stability and unity that all citizens of the Namibian House enjoy today.

“The celebration of Namibia’s independence this year here in the Zambezi region provides us an opportunity, as citizens, to contemplate the meaning of freedom and the value of peace, stability and unity, and how we acquired it , it gives us an opportunity to recall the important role played by ordinary people in the Zambezi region who have contributed to the independence and freedom of Namibia.”

In his keynote address speech Dr. Mbumba revealed that it was in Zambezi (Caprivi Strip)  where many of the Namibians escaped on foot by canoes to Zambia and Botswana across the Zambezi River and its tributaries.”

“When the South African apartheid regime realized the strategic value of the Zambezi region for Namibia’s Liberation Struggle, they militarized the area, declared a decade long curfew, and killed, imprisoned and tortured many citizens here.”

He described Zambezi region as a place where SWAPO gorilla fighters started war with the apartheid South African Defence Force in the late sixties.

“It was here in the Zambezi region that the SWAPO Party’s SWALA operatives, the forerunner of PLAN started political mobilization from Singalamwe, Masida, Makanga, Kikiya and Sibbinda, in the late sixties. Indeed, the First Commander of

SWALA, Comrade Tobias Hainyeko was killed in combat action in the Zambezi region.”

The fourth Namibian President further said that “Truly, the brave people of the great Zambezi region, at the time when it mattered the most, did not waver but joined their fellow Namibians to overthrow the apartheid colonial regime, thereby opening the door to independence, for all Namibians.|”