Namundjebo a towering unsung heroine – Geingob

PRESIDENT Hage Geingob has described the late Elizabeth ‘Queen’ Mwahangelai Namundjebo as a “towering, steadfast, unsung heroine” who truly dedicated her life, dreams and family to the cause of Namibia’s freedom.

In a message read on his behalf by vice president Nickey Iyambo at a memorial service on Friday, Geingob said the struggles of Meekulu Namundjebo during the fight for independence was surely not in vain.

Namundjebo, who was imprisoned and tortured by apartheid South Africa to a point where they broke her spine, died at age 81 on 24 March in the Oshakati State Hospital after a long illness.

Many at Friday’s memorial service described Namundjebo as “one of a kind”.

‘Queen’ Namundjebo had cared for many children over the years, including politician Nangolo Mbumba and prominent northern businessman Ben ‘Benz’ Zaaruka.

“Meme Queen had over 50 children. She was a mother to all,” said Angula Pohamba as he read Namundjebo’s eulogy during the memorial service.

She also reportedly had over 120 children named after her, some of whom she had raised since they were babies.

One of those named after her and whom she had adopted at seven months old, Queen Namundjebo described the late Namundjebo as her “pillar and rock”, adding that were it not for her, she would not be where she was today with a doctorate in philosophy (PhD).

“My mother taught us to respect other people. We were the most obedient children and never did anything we were not supposed to,” an emotional Queen said.

She also expressed appreciation towards the way her mother encouraged her to aim high, by always stating that she could do better.

“I remember when I told meme I had completed my studies for a master’s degree, she told me she would not throw a party as she wanted me to obtain a doctorate.”

Queen said she knew the late Namundjebo wanted the best for her and so she was not worried at being pushed to enrol for a doctorate.

She said her mother had only requested two things from her before she died, one of which was the doctorate. Queen did not mention the other request.

Born on 2 February 1936 at Onghala village in the Ohangwena region, the late Namundjebo joined the then Owambo People’s Organisation (OPO) in 1963 at Oshandi in the Ohangwena region.

She was captured, imprisoned at Oshakati and tortured by the then South African apartheid government in 1975.

“They broke my spinal cord in the process, in addition to the body parts I also lost, but will not mention,” reads the deceased’s biography, which she wrote herself on 9 May 2006.

Namundjebo was buried at Omafo graveyard on Saturday.

– Nampa