Khomas ready for Nujoma’s last farewell
Police inspector general Joseph Shikongo says the police are all systems go to host founding president Sam Nujoma’s final procession, memorial and funeral in Windhoek.
The Windhoek memorial service is slated for Friday.
Nujoma’s remains have been to six other regions in the past two weeks.
Speaking to Desert FM on Wednesday, Shikongo said the police have been ensuring the smooth running of the proceedings.
“We have been on the ground ensuring that we focus on the programme . . . So far, since we started, we have not encountered any incident related to anything. So far the programme is going on very well,” he said.
Shikongo applauded citizens for their cooperation as Nujoma’s casket was driven through towns, and encouraged this cooperation until the last day of the funeral proceedings.
He said security forces will ensure that public security enjoys high priority, as well as the safety and security of visiting foreign VIP officials.
“We are ready and the procession will continue as planned. The community has been informed properly,” he said.
Shikongo said a similar route to that of the late president Hage Geingob will be travelled when transporting Nujoma’s body through Windhoek.
Minister of information and communication technology Emma Theofelus says his body is expected to depart from Keetmanshoop Airport at 06h00 today and is expected to arrive in the capital at 07:30 am.
She says Nujoma will lie in state at Parliament Gardens today to allow the general public to pay the founding president their last respects.
“It should be noted that the body will be ready for viewing at Parliament Gardens from 16h00 on 27 February,” she says.
Theofelus says the Windhoek memorial service will take place at Independence Stadium on Friday, and the burial will take place at Heroes’ Acre on Saturday.
The minister says transportation arrangements have been made for Khomas residents to attend the official memorial and burial ceremonies.
“All logistics are currently underway. Considerations to cater for the elements are out of the government’s control, such as the weather on these two dates, and the exact number of people to attend the ceremonies are being considered and being executed to the best of our ability,” Theofelus says.
She says the government has received confirmation of foreign delegations’ attendance.
The confirmed visiting countries so far are Angola, South Africa, Zimbabwe, Ghana, dignitaries from Mozambique, Malawi, Tanzania, Finland, the Cuba, and the Sahrawi Arab Democratic Republic.
“I wish to convey that this list is not yet exhaustive as we continue to receive confirmations and alterations closer to the burial date,” Theofelus says.
Road procession:
The minister says today’s street procession will commence at Hosea Kutako International Airport, where it will proceed via the
Trans-Kalahari Corridor onto Sam Nujoma Drive.
Thereafter it will proceed onto the Mandume Ndemufayo Road into David Hosea Meroro Road, Hendrik Witbooi Drive, and Moses Garoëb Street.
Thereafter it will turn onto Winnie Madikizela Mandela Road, into Independence Avenue and back to the Sam Nujoma Drive onto Robert Mugabe Drive before arriving at Parliament Gardens.
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