Former Kunene governor Marius Sheya has revealed he was urged to distance himself from Swapo parliamentarian James Uerikua during Swapo’s 2024 electoral college, highlighting enduring political loyalty.
Speaking at a memorial service held for Uerikua at the Otjozondjupa Regional Hall on Saturday, Sheya recounted how individuals had advised him to stay away from him, warning that any association with him could cost him votes.
“During the electoral college, people called me to tell me to stay away from James until the process was done.
They said people would not vote for me,” Sheya said.
He added that he struggled with how to approach the matter, given Uerikua’s straightforward nature.
“How do I tell him? If you know James, he does not hide things,” he said. Uerikua and his son, Venturo, died in a car accident on 3 April.
Reflecting on their long-standing friendship, Sheya described Uerikua as a seasoned politician he had worked closely with for many years.
He said he eventually found the courage to inform him about the warning, while pleading with him not to confront anyone about it.
“Knowing him, he would have called that person. So I did not disclose the name,” Sheya said.
He emphasised that the experience highlighted the rarity of loyalty in politics, noting that their friendship endured regardless of political outcomes.
Sheya also recalled the emotional moment they shared during the electoral college after making it onto the party list, which led to them being nicknamed “cry babies”.
“At the time, people did not understand the weight that had been lifted off our shoulders. It was really tough for us,” he said.
He added that their lives became more difficult following former president Hage Geingob’s death, but Uerikua assured him that they would remain united regardless of circumstances.
“On that Thursday when we left parliament, I never thought it would be the last time I would see him,” Sheya said.
He added that Uerikua was always the first to call and reprimand him if he missed parliamentary sessions.
“He really acted like a father to me,” he said.
Recalling their final encounter, Sheya said he had gone to the restaurant after the parliamentary session, where they would usually sit together.
However, Uerikua was seated with a colleague, Clemencia Coetzee.
“He had this habit of not wanting me to sit with other people, and there he was. That was the last time I saw him, as I later left for Outjo,” he said.
Sheya commended regional leadership for organising the memorial service and allowing the community to mourn and celebrate a leader who deeply cared for his people.
He also urged those affected by Uerikua’s death to seek professional support.
“Grief, if bottled up, has a way of coming back to haunt a person,” he cautioned.
Sheya expressed gratitude for the support he received from former first lady Monica Geingos and former Otjozondjupa regional chairperson Marlayn Mbakera during the difficult period.
In her tribute, Geingos said Uerikua’s leadership was the result of hard work and determination.
“He did not stumble into leadership; he worked for it,” she said.
She added that by the age of 43, Uerikua had already achieved significant milestones, leaving many believing that he still had much more to offer.
“That is why his death is so deeply painful,” Geingos said.
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