WEDNESDAY was no ordinary day at the Gammams Primary School in Khomasdal as hundreds of Namibians converged in the school hall to pay tribute to slain nine-year-old Avihe Cheryl Ujaha.
Ujaha’s mutilated body was found by a passer-by in Khomasdal last week, after she had been reported missing on 26 August.
Her body was mutilated.
Police are yet to arrest any suspect, and yesterday, they again appealed for anyone with information on the matter to contact them. Delivering an emotional eulogy, her aunt Cynthia Kauami described Ujaha as a determined, ambitious, articulate and visionary girl, and said she was a natural leader.
“She wanted to become a teacher, a principal,” she added.
Her family would time and again ask her “Avihe, why do you want to be a principal?”, and the little girl would say she wanted to buy her mother a big house and a car.
While trying to maintain her composure, Kauami further said Ujaha had purpose and direction in life.
“She always said ‘I want smart friends like me. I don’t want those who buy you chips and sweets’,” she recalled.
A slideshow of photographs and video clips of Ujaha, from her time as a toddler until the time of her passing, was played, which reduced those in attendance to tears.
Signs of anger, questions, fear and despair could be seen on the faces of the mourners.
These emotions were summed up in a statement delivered by 16-year-old Kelly-Jane van Rooi from the Delta Secondary School. Van Rooi spoke about how girls fear simple things like walking down the street, or wearing a skirt.
“Men continue to think of women as objects, or that they were put on this earth to serve them,” she said.
She added that men are quick to dismiss this by saying “not all men are the same”.
To those who hold this view, Van Rooi had this to say: “Enough men have this mindset for all women to live their lives in fear constantly.”
The memorial service was attended by, amongst others, the deputy minister of gender equality and child welfare, Lucia Witbooi, Ujaha’s parents, relatives, classmates and teacher Angelika Kandovazu, as well as pupils from various schools in Windhoek.
Ujaha will be laid to rest on Saturday at the Pionierspark Cemetery.
– Nampa
In an age of information overload, Sunrise is The Namibian’s morning briefing, delivered at 6h00 from Monday to Friday. It offers a curated rundown of the most important stories from the past 24 hours – occasionally with a light, witty touch. It’s an essential way to stay informed. Subscribe and join our newsletter community.
The Namibian uses AI tools to assist with improved quality, accuracy and efficiency, while maintaining editorial oversight and journalistic integrity.
Stay informed with The Namibian – your source for credible journalism. Get in-depth reporting and opinions for
only N$85 a month. Invest in journalism, invest in democracy –
Subscribe Now!
