WINDHOEK – Government ministers and grieving relatives yesterday received the last remains of Aambassador Raphael Nakare Dinyando at Eros Airport. Dinyando lost his battle against cancer in a hospital in Vienna, Austria, last week.
Among those who went to receve his body were Foreign Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry Tjekero Tweya, Professor Joseph Diescho, Basilius Haingura and Ambassador Veiccoh Nghiwete.
Exactly at 8.30 yesterday morning the presidential Falcon jet landed at Eros Airport with the remains of the late ambassador. The body was accompanied by his widow Bertha and daughter Victoria, as well as his brother Joseph Dinyando and his brother-in-law, Thomas Nyambe. The late diplomat’s sister, Hedwig Majavero-Lenhardt who was among the grieving relatives said she is heart-broken and her pain is made worse by the fact that she had just undergone an operation when the news broke that her brother had passed away.
The Permanent Secretary in the Office of the President, Samuel Goagoseb, was instructed by President Hifikepunye Pohamba to accompany the family of the late Dinyando to Austria on Tuesday to go and return his remains. Goagoseb explained that a memorial service was also held on Tuesday evening in Vienna at the Namibian Embassy.
“There were a number of African diplomats present. I observed that the late ambassador had established good relations due to his ability to communicate. The whole team at the embassy were like a family,” Goagoseb noted. He said he delivered the president’s message of condolence to Dinyando’s grieving family and to his colleagues. “Everything went well. On Wednesday, we were accompanied by VIP traffic officials from the capital city to the airport with the remains. We witnessed when they loaded the casket safe and well,” recounted the PS who appeared very sombre. A memorial service was held in the Roman Catholic St Mary’s Cathedral in the capital yesterday. Today another memorial service will be held at the Rundu Sports Stadium, while the funeral will take place tomorrow from the Roman Catholic Church at Andara, in the Mukwe Constituency in the Kavango East Region.
By Albertina Nakale