Former People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (Plan) combatant Charles Mubita says the relationship between the National Union for the Total Independence of Angola (Unita) and Swapo was a strategic move to outmanoeuvre the enemy during the liberation struggle.
His sentiments come after retired Namibian Defence Force (NDF) lieutenant general Martin Shalli told mourners at the memorial service of former president Sam Nujoma that there is nothing to be ashamed of regarding the relationship between Unita and Plan during the war.
“During my time, I served at the eastern front side of Zambia . . . and since Swapo needed a northern front and given Unita already had an excretion on the southern front, it was necessary for us to make such a strategic move as alluded to by the commander [Shalli],” Mubita says.
For many years, Swapo kept their relations with Unita a secret, leaning more towards the People’s Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA).
Mubita says Swapo ended its strategic move with Unita after it started supporting South Africa.
“There is nothing to be ashamed of or to hide, but it was necessary to forge such strategies because the aim was to liberate our people,” he states.
Shalli was the Plan chief of operations at one time, reporting directly to Nujoma.
He was paying tribute during Nujoma’s state memorial service on Tuesday.
“There is no politics in the military, that’s why we were so effective. Nujoma had a vision of Plan to be highly trained, well mobilised, resourced and well equipped,” he said.
Shalli said the mission of the NDF is to defend the integrity of the territory of Namibia and its national interest.
He said those who hate others must change their ways and start loving people, urging people to share the little they have.
He said at the time, many did not want to join Swapo, but they wanted to fight for the country under Plan.
Shalli argued that there is nothing to be ashamed of, adding that Swapo was never Unita, and Unita was never Swapo.
“That was a strategic move. . . There are people whom we do not talk to even today, but we do because there are things we want to achieve strategically,” he stated.
He noted that Nujoma built Plan into a well-oiled machine, making it the best guerilla force to have existed in the world at the time.
“Ours was a formidable force capable of taking on the mighty South Africa.”
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