A close relative told The Namibian yesterday that Kemba was admitted to the Roman Catholic Hospital on Tuesday last week.

"He just suddenly started complaining about kidney problems. All these days he was fine and we were shocked to hear that he has died," said the relative.

Kemba is survived by his wife Zandile, a 21-year-old son, two sisters and two brothers and his 73-year-old mother.

Yesterday the National Assembly observed a minute of silence in memory of the former Swapo parliamentarian.

Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Bernard Esau, who worked closely with Kemba as National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) Secretary General, described him as "an honest and straightforward person".

"In the history of NUNW he was the only leader to serve the union as a full-time shopsteward and Vice President of the Mineworkers Union of Namibia. During the time of being in Parliament the shopsteward culture still remained with him. He died as a shopsteward because any ordinary worker still had access to his house while he was Labour Deputy Minister," said Esau.

NUNW Acting Secretary General Peter Naholo said Kemba was a "dedicated and committed revolutionary who contributed immensely to the fight against worker exploitation in this country".

Kemba's life after politics included a number of ill-fated incidents. He was reported missing from his house in March this year, and later reported to a Police station after being assaulted and robbed of his car.

His vehicle, containing blood stains, was later discovered on the outskirts of Katutura.

Kemba also found himself on the opposite side of the law. He was charged with alleged theft, fraud and theft of a motor vehicle. It was alleged that he stole and sold a Toyota Hilux bakkie which a Walvis Bay businessman had donated to a traditional leader in the Kavango Region in 1998.

The case still had to go to trial.

Local News Headlines Of The Last 48 Hours

•  SPYL saves struggle children from arrest
•  RDP slams Nujoma about troops to DRC
•  Cocaine-dealing suspect acquitted
•  Tired of 'empty promises'
•  Hospital plagued by power problem
•  Mix Camp Settlement gets drought aid
•  Mix Camp Settlement gets drought aid
•  Big Brother Africa 3: Quirky SMSes
•  Diamond jobs under threat
•  Fisherman jailed over Henties Bay stabbing
•  Swapo 'behind Pohamba all the way'
•  Fatal kicking case to Regional Court
•  MVA sues paralysed accident victim
•  Koevoet bases to be renovated
•  Campsites bring hope to Puros
•  'Koos Kombuis' in Walvis cell
•  Ulenga leaves Parliament to prepare CoD for elections
•  Chief /Gaseb does not acknowledge appointment by King Justus //Garoeb
•  German museum to return skulls
•  Big Brother Africa 3: E-mails - From You To Us
•  Big Brother Africa 3: Is Malawi going to clean up?
•  Court cracks down on 'struggle children'
•  Nearly a third of Namibians poor