ONIIPA – Former DTA vice president and parliamentarian Fillemon Moongo was laid to rest at the Oniipa cemetery on Saturday.
Hundreds of Namibians, including DTA’s president McHenry Venaani, Namibia’s Vice President Dr Nickey Iyambo, speaker of the National Assembly Prof Peter Katjavivi, diplomats, cabinet ministers, members of political parties and traditional authorities bade farewell to Moongo, who they described as charismatic, vibrant and a philanthropist.
In a speech read on behalf of President Hage Geingob, Iyambo said Moongo would be remembered for the role he played in Namibia’s struggle for independence and in Namibia’s young democracy thereafter.
“His commitment to the betterment of impoverished citizens and his passion for community development is a testament to his character and his calibre as a leader for people,” said Geingob.
Katjavivi said Moongo would be remembered as a staunch debater, who contributed immensely to the drafting of various laws.
“I remember how he passionately and consistently used Thursday’s question time slot to put questions to the executive on effective and efficient service delivery, and to bring across challenges faced by the grassroots people,” reminisced Katjavivi.
Venaani also said, “He contributed greatly to shaping various laws in a post-independent Namibia, particularly pertaining the rights of displaced rural communities and the long overdue recognition of traditional authorities. It was Moongo who tirelessly fought for the benefits such as car allowances, which the traditional authorities are able to enjoy today. Moongo also tabled a number of motions seeking increments in pensioners’ social grants and legislative changes.”
Moongo died at the Ongwediva Private Hospital at the age of 72. He is survived by his wife Frieda Nangula Moongo, 18 children and 36 grandchildren.
Born on April 11, 1943, at Oniipa village in Oshikoto Region, Moongo became a member of Swapo in 1962. In 1974, he fled into Angola. While in exile he became a platoon commander of PLAN.
The Swapo faction of 1976 in exile saw Moongo being detained in Zambia. However, in 1978, Moongo moved to Sweden and formed Swapo Democrats, a political party that became defunct shortly before independence.
In 1990, he joined DTA and served as the regional chairperson for the majority of the northern and central regions and later as the vice president of DTA. From 1994, Moongo served as a DTA representative in the National Assembly until his death.