Zambezi Veteran Recalls Battles that Shaped Namibia’s Liberation

By Risco Lumamezi

LIBERATION struggle veteran,  Prin. Alex Kamwi, popularly known as “Poison” has reflected on the sacrifices and battles waged in the Caprivi Strip now Zambezi Region, emphasizing its historic role it played in Namibia’s fight for independence.

In an exclusive interview with Caprivi Vision, Prince Kamwi remembers the day August 23, 1978, when he was a member of the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia  (PLAN) who waged war called Katima Attack at WENELA , a military base situated between the border of Namibia and Zambia  north of Katima Mulilo town of Zambezi region for the apartheid South African soldiers, He was 30 years old at the time.

Speaking ahead of the Heroes’ Day commemorations, Kamwi noted that the Zambezi Region was a stronghold of resistance where some of the fiercest confrontations took place. He recalled that while the liberation war officially began on 26 August 1966 at Omugulugwombashe, many decisive battles were also fought in Katima Mulilo and Singalamwe.

“In 1977 Katima was first attacked but missed, and in 1978 we hit it well. I was involved in that part of that battle because our detachment was there. The Katima battle was well organized, with support from Platinum detachments and regional headquarters in Sesheke,” Kamwi said.

He said he was at the battle field, of which most of the big guns were set up at the other side of Sesheke of Zambia, and the causality on the side of the Boers was very heavy.

The regional commander of plan, comrade Shalale Hamunyela met the Boers on the way and the target was hit and retreated.

“I was heavily involved in that battle but not only Katima Mulilo and at Singalamwe in 1978 at the base called School mine close to Kamenga, and casualty was very heavy with the side of the Boers, on our side there was nothing not even one captured.” He explained.

He added that Kamenga and Katima were major battles, and they were also some other major battles before they hit Katima, and the aim was to liberate the country.

Kamwi explained that the Caprivi African National Union (CANU), was formed in 1962, and it went on the mobilization and many people were recruited especially people from the western part of Caprivi, the likes of Judea Lyaboloma, and Solomon Puzeli were mostly tortured, and some were killed and CANU was having members from Impalila up to Kongola.

“So, in 1964, when CANU and SWAPO merged we became part of SWAPO fighting together against one common enemy, and we went to the liberation struggle together and those people were killed and tortured
because of the liberation of the country, most especially from the west, the president of CANU, Brendan Simbwaye  went missing” He stressed.

Caprivi played a central role in mobilizing fighters, particularly from western Caprivi where many people were tortured, killed, or left into exile. After CANU merged with SWAPO in 1964, the groups fought side by side against a common enemy.

He paid tribute to fallen leaders, including CANU president Simbwaye, who later became SWAPO vice president before disappearing, and Vennety Maswahu, who died in Omaruru. Kamwi also recalled the 1968 Singalamwe massacre, which intensified the struggle in the Caprivi and forced many Namibians to cross into Zambia.

“The Zambezi Region played a very important role in the liberation struggle. It was the second-largest base of resistance after Ovamboland,” he said.

He remembered Commander Tobias Hainyeko, who was killed in late sixties after being betrayed by informers, and he died with the bullet in his head. Although , Kamwi he was still a student by that time.

“Tobias Hainyeko was coming to survey  the area but he did not die alone , he died with two Boers at mission” he pointed out.

When asked to define the word Veteran, Mr. Kamwi defined that “a war veteran is a person who participated in the liberation struggle of Namibia, persistently and consistently without wavering….But remember, they are also some people who participated in the liberation struggle of Namibia even though,  they did not go up to the end of the struggle but
they participated , some participated from long time ago , from the 60s and left in the 80s  some participated you cannot ignore them, they have done their part as well , one way or another they might also fall under the definition of Veteran , either underground , politically or militarily like for us who were on the front” he quashed.

Being the founding member and former Secretary General and vice president of the Namibia National Liberation Veterans Association, he recalled that the formation of his association played a big role in researching modalities that triggered the former president Hifikepunye Pohamba, to  appoint the likes of late Dr Ngarikutuke Tjiriange and Charles Mubita (now Deputy Minister of Defence and Veterans Affairs) to visit Mozambique, South Africa and Zimbabwe to see how they managed their war veterans which later resulted  to the creation of the Ministry of Veterans Affairs through the Act of Parliament in 2008.

According to him the Namibia National Liberation Veterans Association represents all veterans including ex-plan combatants and those who were inside the country during the liberation struggle.

He however expressed concerns that in Namibia today, the Veteran Act does not recognize members of the South West Africa Territorial Force (SWATF),  saying that during Namibia’s dispensation they were all integrated into army , police  and prisons, he also questioned that  “
why our government did not recognize these people  even for once, because their money established DBC , we ate their monies , I was given N$1500 myself why can’t we give these people even N$10.000 each , this is an example to make one Namibia one nation to reconcile , why can’t they be integrated , members of the SWATF not Kovoet ”  he said.

Reflecting on Namibia’s journey, the liberation fighter Kamwi said, reconciliation has been vital in uniting the nation after independence.
“That is why it is called One Namibia, One Nation. We have reconciled in the military, prison services, and government institutions.”

“When you go in Windhoek you will find the statue of the former president Sam Nujoma, and at Ondangwa you will see the Statue of Andimba Toivo ya Toivo” he concluded.

He further calls the Namibian government to make a statue of the late Brendan Simbwaye at Total Service Station previously known as “Mafulo” in the sixties where today MIDAS erected a building named as Brendan Simbwaye Square in Katima Mulilo where he was arrested.

END…