Khama’s last alarm

On Sunday morning around 06h40 Kupaha Uazukuami received a distress call.

The call informed the deputy chief of the City of Windhoek’s emergency and disaster risk management that two of his firefighters had been involved in a crash upon returning from responding to an emergency.

Upon arriving at the scene, Uazukuami learned that the firefighters had already been rushed to hospital.

One was responding well to treatment, while the other’s condition was concerning.

Shortly after this, he was informed that Methusala Simataa Khama (37) had succumbed to his injuries.

“It is one of those calls you don’t really want to receive, but given the nature of our work, there is no other way,” Uazukuami says.

Khama, who died in the line of duty, originally hailed from the Zambezi region.

He has served the City of Windhoek’s Fire and Rescue Division for over 16 years.

Yesterday, during a memorial service at the City of Windhoek, heartbroken colleagues, friends and family shared their memories of Khama.

The programme started at the City of Windhoek headquarters with a procession of over 30 emergency vehicles, including fire engines and ambulances, to the Windhoek Fire Brigade, where a three-hour memorial service was held.

Shortly before the procession began, all present emergency vehicle and fire engine operators were asked to sound their emergency sirens while remaining stationary.

Fire safety officer Steven Namalemo describes this as a traditional practice observed when a service member dies on duty.

“This is just to say goodbye, as he has been in service for a long time,” he says.

The procession drove through Windhoek’s Independence Avenue with silent emergency response vehicles flashing red lights.

Raymond Kapia, the chief of the emergency and disaster risk management, yesterday described Khama as “a gentle, soft-spoken and respectful young man”.

“We will create a wall of remembrance to display the photos of all our fallen service members, and we may dedicate a moment of silence in their honour each year,” he said.

Khama is fondly remembered for his sense of humour and his jolly nature.

He is survived by his parents, three siblings, his wife and four children, and will be buried at his village in the Zambezi region on Sunday.

The ceremony came to an end with some traditional rituals, often practised when a service member dies in the line of duty.
One of the rituals involves sounding an alarm, which traditionally notifies members of an emergency response.

It marks the fallen member’s last alarm, with no response expected.

Sirens are sounded for a minute to commemorate the individual’s service and sacrifice.