Staff Reporter
THE death in combat 109 years ago of King Mandume Ya Ndemufayo, who is recognised as a national hero in both Namibia and Angola, was commemorated simultaneously at the Omhedi Palace in the Ohangwena Region and at the historic Oihole village in the Cunene Province of Angola this weekend, coinciding with the remembrance event for Namibia’s Founding President, Dr Sam Nujoma, and former President Dr Hage Geingob.
A candlelight ceremony was held at Heroes Acre in Windhoek on Saturday. President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah was the keynote speaker.
Meanwhile, separate Mandume Day events were hosted by the two reigning monarchs of the Oukwanyama Traditional Community, Queen Martha Mwadinomho Kristian Nelumbu (at Omhedi) and Jeronimo Haleinge (at Oihole), respectively.
Late King Mandume died fighting against British troops on 6 February 1917.
Oihole was where Mandume’s palace relocated in 1915 from Ondjiva, where it was threatened by the Portuguese expeditionary forces.
Since the Oukwanyama tribal area lies on both sides of the international border, there is now a reigning monarch for each of the two halves of the traditional community.
Queen Nelumbu, whose speech was delivered by one of her lieutenants, Beata Haufiku, paid homage to King Mandume for his tenacious resistance against colonial occupation and for introducing pro-poor policies and promoting food self-sufficiency and the conservation of nature.
At the Oihole ceremony, King Haleinge said that Mandume Day is commemorated annually to honour the late warrior king’s historic and political legacy and to highlight the importance of preserving and transmitting historical memory to future generations.
