The 30th anniversary celebration of Walvis Bay’s re-integration into Namibia, planned to take place on Thursday, has been postponed to 7 February 2025.
The Pearl celebration under the theme: ‘Walvis Bay: Keeping the Namibian Economy Alive, Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow’, was announced by Erongo governor Neville Andre last week.
The governor, however, issued a statement on Wednesday announcing the postponement.
“Despite months of preparation and meticulous planning to make this historic event a success, the Walvis Bay Municipality has, at the last minute, rejected our request to use their facilities. This decision has come as a complete surprise to us. After all our preparations, we see no tangible reason for this rejection other than a baseless act of political witch-hunt, marred by flimsy and politically motivated undertones. Nonetheless, we remain steadfast in our commitment to honouring this momentous occasion,” he said.
Andre stressed the importance of reflecting on the significant role Walvis Bay residents played in reclaiming their town from South Africa, and that the return was a victory for Namibians who dreamed of a fully independent and united nation.
The celebrations would have included a gala dinner on Thursday to raise funds, while creating an environment for networking.
Other activities included erecting statues of those who played important roles in the re-integration, including president Nangolo Mbumba,
Nathaniel Maxuilili and Rikumbi Kandanga. Entertainment activities were also planned for Saturday.
Walvis Bay was returned to Namibia between 28 February and 1 March in 1994.
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