Tributes pour in for Shixwameni

NAMIBIAN personalities have described All Peoples Party president Ignatius Shixwameni as a silent giant, a political animal and a unifier who brought vibrant debate to parliament.

Shixwameni died yesterday, at the age of 55.

He cut his political teeth in student politics before settling in the Swapo Youth League in the 1990s, becoming one of the very few young politicians of his generation who broke into the august house.

He later fell out of favour with the ruling party, pushing himself into the peripheries of opposition politics, a fort he held with outstanding prowess.

South West Africa National Union (Swanu) president Tangeni Iijambo says he was there when Shixwameni collapsed, and they waited 40 minutes for an ambulance to arrive.

He described Shixwameni as a fellow communist and socialist, and as a close friend in terms of his political strategy.

“We were very close and as of late we were having talks also of cooperating in many aspects, politically in various regions. It is a sad loss,” Iijambo said.

Shixi as he was nicknamed by Landless Peoples Movement (LPM) deputy leader Henny Seibeb, passed away yesterday after collapsing in parliament during a portfolio committee meeting.

“Shixi, was by nature a political animal. He had intellect and political mobilisation skills, which he used effectively to bounce back after the factional battles and eventual collapse of the Congress of Democrats (CoD). He had given his whole life to politics, for the betterment of all. What a sad loss,” Seibeb says.

Institute for Public Policy Research director Graham Hopewood says Shixwameni was a parliamentarian who understood his role in civil society and politics.

“I have fond memories of attending various parliament-civil society conferences and meetings with him in Namibia and abroad. He was a crucial figure in the early days of Nanso in the late 1980s and as such, contributed greatly to the final push for independence through the organisation of school boycotts and other campaigns,” Hopewood says.

Analyst Ndumba Kamwanya describes Shixwamenis death as a great loss on many levels, a loss for the country, parliament and Namibias democracy.

“And of course a loss for those close and dear to him – family and friends, and he will be missed dearly, especially by those of us who worked with him during the Nanso and liberation struggle days,” he says.

Freelance journalist Brigitte Weidlich, who knew the late politician since the 1990s, says Shixwameni was an independent thinker, which was reflected by his move to leave Swapo in 1999 to join CoD.

“His decision to form his own party, the All Peoples Party, later on is another indicator that he had more liberal political views than mainstream politics in Namibia,” she says.

Popular Democratic Movement leader McHenry Venaani who affectionately called Shixwameni Iggy said he was very principled and progressive.

“In 1999, when president Sam Nujoma decided to run for a third-term, Shixwameni was the most progressive young person in the ruling party and was a deputy minister, but resigned from the position, joining opposition politics opposing the third term of president Nujoma,” Venaani adds.

Deputy prime minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says Shixwamenis death is a loss to Namibia because he started in leadership at a young age.

“Those who worked with him as a young person and leader in Nanso, will recall the significant role he has played together with his peers in contributing to the independence of this country.”

The LPMs Utaara Mootu says the late politician was an inspiration, not only to her but to other young people. She says he would always make himself available to give advice to young politicians, regardless of the political party they represented.

“We cannot remember the legacy of the honourable Shixwameni without tracing back to the time when he was a militant youth activist and youth leader who stood firm against apartheid and worked very hard as the president of Nanso.”

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