Towards a Sacred Stewardship Rekindling the Spirit of Omugulu-gOombashe

CITIZEN NAHAS ANGULAON 4 MARCH 1965, a platoon of the then South West Africa Liberation Army (Swala) left the Kongwa Military Training Camp in central Tanzania.

Their mission was to return to then South West Africa and train volunteers and launch an armed liberation struggle. Swala was the forerunner of the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (Plan). 

The group was led by John Otto Nankudhu. Other members were Simeon Linekela Shihungileni, Patrick Israel Iyambo, Messah Victory Namwandi, James Hamukwaya and Nelson Kavela. 

The group travelled all the way from Kongwa to the border town of Mbeya and crossed into northern Zambia through the Nakonde border post. In Zambia they were assisted by cadres of the United National Independence Party (Unip) until they reached Lusaka. Tobias Hainyeko and Peter Nanyemba escorted them to the South West Africa border. They then headed to the Kavango area through south-eastern Angola and marched  until they reached Endola in the Oukwanyama area. 

In June 1966, the group established their training camp in Omugulu-gOombashe, western Owamboland. On 26 August 1966, the group and their trainees engaged in the battle of Omugulu-gOoombashe against apartheid forces. That battle signified the beginning of the end of apartheid colonialism in Namibia.

Courage, determination, commitment and self-sacrifice motivated this group of freedom fighters to persevere and overcome the obstacles they faced during their long march from Tanzania to South West Africa. They changed the course of history. 

Swapo president Sam Nujoma captured the spirit of Omugulu-gOombashe when he told a meeting in London on 26 August 1968 that “…in the history of any oppressed people, there comes  a time when a change is forcing itself forward and a new stand has to be taken”. 

The disastrous judgement of the International Court of Justice at The Hague forced the oppressed people of South West Africa to take up arms, against all odds, to free themselves from colonial oppression. As we commemorate the 55th anniversary of the Battle of Omugulu-gOombashe, it is worth reminding ourselves that at different times the people of Namibia have had to make difficult decisions in the face of challenging circumstances.

Today Namibians face multiple challenges ranging from widespread poverty, youth unemployment, income inequality and the devastating Covid-19 pandemic. Above all, the spirit of liberation is fading in the national memory against the background of a perceived litany of corruption and self-enrichment among political leaders. It appears that material greed has replaced the culture of striving for a common good. 

The politics of comradeship appears to have been replaced by the politics of greed and material accumulation. The culture of sharing and caring, the driving force during the struggle for national liberation, has been replaced by patronage and self- serving tendencies. The ‘slate politics’ of the ruling party has further divided the liberation movement into the pathology of factionalism. This is not the way to build a nation.

There is an urgent need to rekindle the spirit of Omugulu-gOombashe. The nation should start a process of healing the various divides within our political formations and rebuild trust and confidence among the political players. We must start to build a nation of inclusive and shared prosperity. We must find pathways to take our people out of poverty. We must create opportunities for our youth to get engaged and earn a living. We must address housing challenges in our informal settlements. 

In other words, the nation should undergo a process to promote a renewed hope and promise amongst our people. This can only happen if our leaders embrace ethical and servant leadership. Such leadership should promote a capable and competent state. A capable state values meritocracy and accountability rather than mere political loyalty. Appointments should be based on merit and not on patronage or nepotism. In other words, leadership should be based on the notion of sacred stewardship. Such stewardship should engender hope and optimism. As the saying goes: “… optimism is the foundation of progress and hope is the companion of development”. This is what the nation needs right now.

Our heroes and heroines made supreme sacrifices for our people to regain their freedom, human dignity and national independence. The current leadership has a sacred duty to promote and defend these achievements at all times. Heroes’ Day, 26 August, should rekindle our hope into the future. This is only possible if we can hold each other’s hands and move forward with renewed optimism.

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