Flipside — by Chris Jacobie
THE Covid-19 pandemic could not have been crueller to the Namibian nation than to add Marco Hausiku, who always put his family, party, various assignments, leaders and nation first, to its list of victims.
Although death is never predictable, the angel came at the wrong time and took the wrong Namibian – one who was as much a hero in life as now also in death.
His family, his beloved Swapo Party, and his comrades will have to fill the many gaps that Namibians would have never learned about the great achievements and sacrifices from Marco Hausiku himself.
His humbleness and focus were not on himself and therefore Namibians will forever admire him as a humble servant who knew that he will only be judged by his deeds which mirrored his life.
His body departed, but his soul and spirit will forever dwell amongst his great family and the Ushivi-, Mangetti and Mushese trees in the Kapako area of his birth.
The mighty Kavango River might slow its speed and the scream of the fish eagle might carry a tone of sadness for this great loss, aptly described by Namibia’s President, Hage Geingob, as “devastating”.
Namibians should know this: Funerals of late have turned into opposition- and opportunistic rallies that are a national embarrassment.
The Vice-president, Nangolo Mbumba, at the funeral of the firebrand, Kazenambo Kazenambo, rightly disciplined the official opposition leader for what was rightly or wrongly seen as a Venaani attempt to hijack the funeral of KK – as he was affectionately known by friend and foe – for political means and the not so secret campaign to be the next chief of the Ovaherero Traditional Authority (OTA).
The personality of Marco Hausiku leaves no room for this error of judgment from anybody to occur again because he belongs to none, but the nation he served with diligence.
He is a national icon wherever his family prefers him to be buried.
Namibians should be reminded of his commitment to the liberation as well as the independence of Namibia.
In the 1989 elections, Swapo snatched a narrow win in the Kavango with a majority of only about 5 000 votes that at first left the then DTA in front with the results of the then Owambo still pending. The votes eventually pushed Swapo over the winning mark after a near clean sweep in the Owambo-regions and a close win in Kavango.
Since then, and mainly due to the style of Hausiku’s leadership by service, responsiveness and example, Kavango became a pillar of Swapo’s strength with opposition parties in successive elections losing ground and turning Kavango into a bulwark of Swapo’s growing grassroots support in the two regions.
During the time of the UNITA raids, after the elections, Hausiku stood strong and a reign of terror was eventually ended with an offensive that uprooted UNITA in the southern and southeastern parts of Angola.
Every time Swapo experienced a crisis that could have had a national impact, Marco Hausiku was assigned the difficult task of turning events around.
When Hidipo Hamutenya was fired, before the RDP breakaway, Hausiku served as Minister of Foreign Affairs and kept the party and assisted to hold the nation together in acrimonious political times.
To lose a part of the glue that keeps a nation together is always devastating. But, Namibians can and should be inspired by the personality of humility and service of Marco Hausiku.
When his body is interred, his spirit will inspire hundreds and thousands of Namibians to be like him.
That is his legacy and one on which the Namibian sun will never set. He was a cornerstone of the Namibian House that President Geingob cherishes on behalf of a nation.
True heroes leave those they served with the will to succeed. That is the gift of Marco Hausiko and it is special – very special.
