Cassinga Day honours the spirit of resistance and sacrifice

President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah at a Cassinga Day commemoration event, 4 May 

Today, as we commemorate the 47th anniversary of the brutal and senseless attack on Cassinga, which took place on the 4th of May 1978 in Angola, I begin by paying solemn tribute to the pioneers of our national liberation struggle. We honour the memory of our forebearers, heroes and heroines, men and women, young and old, who gave everything so that Namibia could be free. Their sacrifices are the very foundation upon which our republic stands today.

Cassinga Day is a stark reminder of the cruelty of the apartheid South African occupation regime. It was on this day that innocent refugees, mostly women and children, were viciously and inhumanely attacked by a minority regime intent on crushing the will of our people. Instead of breaking our spirit, this massacre only strengthened the resolve of our people to fight for justice, dignity and independence.

We pay special homage to the founding president of the Republic of Namibia and the Swapo Party, the father of the Namibian nation and the leader of the Namibian revolution, comrade president Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma, who led our liberation movement with unwavering determination from the formation of Swapo in 1960 until 2007. Under his visionary leadership, before and after independence, our struggle advanced from resistance to nationhood. May he, along with all our brave fallen comrades, be eternally remembered for their courage, sacrifices and selfless service to the Namibian people.

The apartheid regime thought that by attacking Cassinga, they could kill the spirit of our revolution. However, they were wrong. The blood of those innocent Namibians did not spill in vain; it watered the tree of our freedom and continues to inspire generations.

As we recall the events of Cassinga today, let us recommit ourselves to the values that carried us through the darkest chapters of our history: discipline, unity of purpose, resilience and unwavering patriotism. Let us remain focused and stand united behind the 8th administration of the Swapo Party government as we march toward the second phase of our struggle for the economic emancipation of each and every Namibian.

In memory of the Cassinga martyrs, we must redouble our efforts to implement the Swapo Party election manifesto and its implementation plan at all levels of governance for the next five years. We undertake to transform our society, improve the quality of lives of our people, and fulfil the promises of the revolution.

Cassinga will never be forgotten. Its memory will remain a guiding light as we continue building a united, just, peaceful and prosperous Namibia.

Long live the spirit of Cassinga!
One Namibia, one nation!

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