On International Women’s Day in Namibia, which this year fell on the first weekend of March, we found ourselves doing something we often enjoy: taking a casual drive around Windhoek.
These drives are rarely uneventful. They usually turn into moments of reflection, filled with political observations and debates about the society we live in.
As we passed the City of Windhoek premises along Independence Avenue, our attention turned to the space that once hosted the statue of Curt von Francois.
Known as the founder of Windhoek during the German colonial expansion, his statue fell in 2022.
Many Namibians welcomed its removal as the fall of a symbol of colonial conquest from the civic heart of the capital.
Yet the moment also carried different emotions for members of the Von Francois family who viewed the statue as part of their heritage.
This contrast reflects a broader challenge.
How do we reconcile differing historical memories within one nation?
Namibia belongs to all who are born in it, raised within it, and committed to its future.
10 DECEMBER
The story of this country is shaped by many lives and many histories.
Our destiny is shared, and our progress depends on how we choose to remember the past while building a more inclusive future.
One meaningful step would be to place a statue of Anna Kakurukaze Mungunda at the site where the statue of Curt von Francois once stood.
Such a gesture would not erase history or diminish the memory associated with Francois.
nstead, it would broaden the narrative of the city by honouring a figure whose courage forms part of Namibia’s struggle for justice.
Anna Kakurukaze Mungunda occupies a powerful place in the history of resistance in Namibia.
On 10 December 1959, residents of the Old Location in Windhoek protested against forced removals that would lead to the creation of Katutura.
During the uprising police opened fire on protesters.
Amid the turmoil, Mungunda displayed extraordinary courage.
Historical accounts recall that after her son was reportedly shot during the unrest, she confronted the authorities and set alight the vehicle of a colonial administrator.
She was then shot and killed. Her death transformed her into a symbol of courage, resistance and dignity in the face of injustice.
AFFIRMATION
The events of 10 December 1959 shaped the Windhoek we see today.
They also remind us that the city still carries the legacy of that history.
Windhoek remains one city with two very different experiences.
On one side is Katutura, a township created through forced removals and segregation.
On the other side is the rest of the city, which developed under very different economic conditions.
Though these areas share one municipal identity, stark economic differences remain.
A statue of Anna Kakurukaze Mungunda outside the City of Windhoek would therefore represent more than a monument.
It would serve as a public reminder of the sacrifices made in the pursuit of dignity and justice.
It would also invite reflection on the work that remains in building a more equal city.
Such a monument could also symbolise a new chapter in Namibia’s history.
The country is now under the leadership of its first female president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.
Honouring Mungunda during this historic era would celebrate the role of women in Namibia’s struggle for freedom and reaffirm a national narrative that recognises those who resisted oppression.
IDEAS HAVE LEGS
In the words of former United States vice president Kamala Harris, we must strive to build a future that is “unburdened by what has been”.
Ideas often begin in ordinary moments.
Namibia has seen this before. The renaming of Ondangwa Airport after Andimba Toivo ya Toivo began as a public suggestion by an individual.
The idea gained momentum and eventually reached former president Hifikepunye Pohamba, who repeated it during the memorial service of the late Toivo ya Toivo.
Over time, the proposal became a national decision.
Perhaps history may repeat itself. For now, it remains food for thought, a reflection born from an ordinary Sunday afternoon drive that may one day reshape the symbolic heart of Windhoek.
- David Junias and Hosea Shishiveni are Namibian thought leaders; davidjunias@gmail.com and hoseasn8@gmail.com.
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