A nation mourns

THOUSANDS of people from all over Namibia, especially the Kavango Region, gathered at Rundu on Saturday to pay their last respects to 25 of the 28 people who died in the Grootfontein bus crash on May 31.

The funeral was attended by high-ranking Government officials, including Cabinet Ministers led by Deputy Prime Minister Libertina Amathila, and a host of church, local government and traditional leaders. The 28 lost their lives in a head-on collision between a heavy duty truck and a medium-sized passenger bus travelling to Rundu.It was the worst road accident in Namibia since Independence.Young people featured prominently among the victims.On Saturday, Rundu was cloaked in grief; sadness lurked around every corner at the town as people struggled to absorb the enormity of the loss as their sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, came home to rest.At the funeral service, many struggled to contain their emotions; for others it was just too much to bear.They broke down and had to be gently taken away.Others sobbed uncontrollably — even the consoling arms of relatives offered scant, if any, comfort.The bodies of the victims were flown into Rundu for the burial on Saturday morning.They were transported from the Oshakati Police mortuary to Ondangwa Airport early in the morning, from where they were flown to Rundu by military plane.At Oshakati, many people got up early on Saturday to go to the mortuary from where the bodies were to be taken to the Ondangwa airport for their final journey.From there, a long column of cars followed the undertaker’s hearse to the airport, where another large crowd had already gathered to pay their last respects.Before the plane left, Lutheran Pastor Titus Ngula performed a brief prayer ceremony.A large crowd of mourners were waiting at Rundu Airport to accompany the bodies of their friends and relatives to the mass grave near the Town Council’s office.Tears flowed freely as mourners lined the streets leading to the burial site; some even climbed trees to get a good view of the funeral procession.The site could not accommodate all the mourners and some women and children were injured in a stampede at the main entrance.However, the Police said only minor injuries were reported but, in general, they added, the situation had been calm.Many of those who had lost relatives or victims were overcome by grief.”Where am I going to get my brother, my beloved brother, and sister?”, was the heartbroken sob of one child.People also broke down during the funeral service, especially when the coffins were lowered to their final resting place.The first two bus accident victims, Jackson Kamhulu and his daughter, Helena Tukaleinawa Kamhulu (7) were buried in the Omusati Region last Tuesday.The 28th victim, a soldier from Grootfontein, is to be buried on a farm in the Grootfontein district.* See also page 7The 28 lost their lives in a head-on collision between a heavy duty truck and a medium-sized passenger bus travelling to Rundu.It was the worst road accident in Namibia since Independence.Young people featured prominently among the victims.On Saturday, Rundu was cloaked in grief; sadness lurked around every corner at the town as people struggled to absorb the enormity of the loss as their sons and daughters, mothers and fathers, came home to rest.At the funeral service, many struggled to contain their emotions; for others it was just too much to bear.They broke down and had to be gently taken away.Others sobbed uncontrollably — even the consoling arms of relatives offered scant, if any, comfort.The bodies of the victims were flown into Rundu for the burial on Saturday morning.They were transported from the Oshakati Police mortuary to Ondangwa Airport early in the morning, from where they were flown to Rundu by military plane.At Oshakati, many people got up early on Saturday to go to the mortuary from where the bodies were to be taken to the Ondangwa airport for their final journey.From there, a long column of cars followed the undertaker’s hearse to the airport, where another large crowd had already gathered to pay their last respects.Before the plane left, Lutheran Pastor Titus Ngula performed a brief prayer ceremony.A large crowd of mourners were waiting at Rundu Airport to accompany the bodies of their friends and relatives to the mass grave near the Town Council’s office. Tears flowed freely as mourners lined the streets leading to the burial site; some even climbed trees to get a good view of the funeral procession.The site could not accommodate all the mourners and some women and children were injured in a stampede at the main entrance.However, the Police said only minor injuries were reported but, in general, they added, the situation had been calm.Many of those who had lost relatives or victims were overcome by grief.”Where am I going to get my brother, my beloved brother, and sister?”, was the heartbroken sob of one child.People also broke down during the funeral service, especially when the coffins were lowered to their final resting place.The first two bus accident victims, Jackson Kamhulu and his daughter, Helena Tukaleinawa Kamhulu (7) were buried in the Omusati Region last Tuesday.The 28th victim, a soldier from Grootfontein, is to be buried on a farm in the Grootfontein district.* See also page 7