Swapo MP James Uerikua remembered for wit, farming passion, and parliamentary service

Friends and colleagues of Swapo parliamentarian James Uerikua describe him as dedicated, sharp-minded, funny and articulate.

Uerikua (43) and his son, Venturo Uerikua (14), died on Friday in a car accident on the Otjiwarongo-Okakarara C22 road.

According to the police weekend crime report, the white 4×4 they were travelling in overturned when a rear tyre burst.

Five other occupants sustained serious to moderate injuries and were later transferred to Windhoek for treatment.

Uerikua and his son are among 10 fatalities recorded during the Easter long weekend.

Two women, both aged 28, died near Witvlei after a seven-seater collided with a stationary SUV.

In a separate incident, Petrus Ndundu (32) was fatally struck by a truck in Havana, Windhoek, on Thursday at around 19h20.

“The deceased was crossing the road when he was hit by a truck with a Windhoek registration number. The victim was declared dead on the scene. Next of kin have been informed. The 38-year-old Namibian male driver has tested 0.00 for alcohol and was in possession of a valid driving licence,” National police spokesperson deputy commissioner Kauna Shikwambi says.

Further fatalities were recorded on the B2 road between Usakos and Arandis, where Florian Uatanaua (60) died in a car crash, and near Okahandja, where Haikwiyu Robert (33) died after losing control of his sedan.

In a separate crash reported outside the police bulletin, local acapella singer Liezel Mainga died along with another unidentified female friend on Friday while reportedly travelling from the Zambezi region to Botswana.

Her death was confirmed in tributes shared by acapella group Vocal Motion 6.

“Police investigations continue,” Shikwambi says.

Another car accident death was that of Channel 7’s volunteer and member of its community, Anneri Burger, who died on Tuesday.

Uerikua’s close friend and Swapo member of parliament (MP), Marlayn Mbakera, describes him as hardworking, perfectionist, and focused.

“…he was caring and brilliant mind, that was James,” she says.

Mbakera, who is the chairperson of the parliamentary standing committee on education, youth, civic relations and community development, says Uerikua called her twice, telling her to be safe on the road.

“He told me to be safe before we travelled. We were supposed to meet at my village so we could proceed to our farms because we farm in the same area,” she says.

She says Uerikua always encouraged her to work hard, be committed, and to not be afraid of dying.

“He would say ‘chair, it is better to die while serving’. He was a brilliant mind. I will make sure to keep his legacy on. He encouraged me to read to be prepared.”

“He was more than a comrade, he was my brother. I would drive his boy to school when he was not around,” she says.

Swapo MP Uahekua Herunga says he last spoke to Uerikua in parliament on Wednesday when he made a joke about being the best dressed in the house.

“He wore the most expensive watch,” Herunga says,

“He made a joke saying Venaani’s suits are cheap and that his were more expensive. He joked that his one suit was equivalent to Venaani’s two suits,” he says.

Herunga says Uerikua advised him to focus more on farming and livestock, and not just on life in town.

“He was a sharp-minded comrade, well-taught, vibrant and quick to react. Whatever he said or did was in the best interest of the country or Swapo. We will never forget him,” Herunga says.

Swapo MP Willem Amutenya says: “He was a man of jokes. He was articulate, he had a rich vocabulary, and he put energy in everything he wanted done.”

Amutenya says Uerikua’s presence was never silent, but one that came with ‘perfectly timed humour’ that could disarm tension, and a reminder that everyone is human.

Another Swapo MP, Tobie Aupindi, who was Uerikua’s deskmate, says he was a rare breed of leader.

“Uerikua was charismatic and deeply intelligent,” Aupindi said yesterday.

“But beyond his brilliance, it was his humility that defined him. He was kind, generous, deeply human and fun to be around,” he said.

Popular Democratic Movement leader McHenry Venaani described him as a man of great promise and conviction.

“A capable and diligent MP, a committed nationalist, and a leader who approached the task of nation-building with seriousness, clarity, and purpose,” Venaani said on Friday.

He described Uerikua as a warm and approachable individual who was liked across divides.

Independent Patriots for Change MP Armas Amukoto recalls an encounter in the National Assembly last Thursday, where he and Uerikua were secretly communicating through signals.

“I remember Thursday, I was chatting with him on political matters. He was a man full of fun. On the same day, when he realised that some of his colleagues from the ruling party side were contributing to the budget, he noticed that somewhere it was not making sense.

“He was looking at me smiling and waving his pointy finger and covering his face with a book, you can easily see that he was laughing behind the book,” Amukoto recalls.

He says Uerikua used to call him ‘comrade’ and he would reply ‘patriot’.

“From there he will laugh and say maybe one day you never know. He will be missed in parliament,” he adds.

Affirmative Repositioning MP Ester Haikola-Sakaria says while going to the restaurant at parliament on her birthday last September, she crossed paths with Uerikua who gave her a N$100 as a gift.

She hoped to surprise him on his birthday with farming equipment.

“There were tense months between the opposition and Swapo. But Uerikua did not mind and always treated everyone with respect. He was a selfless person who was passionate about serving the people,” she says.

Her last encounter with him was last Thursday when they both wished each other a happy Easter weekend. “I told him to drive safe and he said the same. He was like a brother to me,” she adds.

She says he was a farmer, a field he was very passionate about, and that he contributed greatly to her own farming aspirations.

As standing committee on defence and security chairperson, she says Uerikua was always fighting for the security sector and would always organise meetings with security clusters.

She says she will miss their talks, his charismatic personality, and the stylish, family man he was.

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