Staff Reporter
THE recent death and burial of octogenarian Denys Nandi, elder brother of Deputy Prime Minister and Swapo vice-president Netumbo Nandi-Ndeitwah, tell a story of siblings who were separated during the liberation struggle but were reunited and embraced each other at the dawn of independence.
Unlike his sister Netumbo Nandi-Ndeitwah, who went into exile in 1974, Denys Nandi remained behind and was a household name during the pre-independence years. He made an immense contribution to education and training, having served as the director of education in the former Administration of Owambo under Chief Minister Peter Kalangula.
Like many other separated Namibian families, the separated Nandi siblings reunited only after thousands of Namibian exiles were repatriated in 1989 as part of the implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolution 435.
Denys Nandi is best remembered for the role he played in the promotion and advancement of education even under difficult pre-independence circumstances.
Nandi passed away at a private hospital in Windhoek on 24 September and was laid to rest at his home village of Onamutai in the Oshana Region on Saturday.
His funeral service took place in the Ondangwa Parish of the REACH-NA Church of which he was a prominent cleric.
The funeral and the burial services were attended by many dignitaries including president Hage Geingob.
