ONGWEDIVA – The husband of the Deputy Minister of Gender and Child Welfare, Angelika Muharukua, died in a horrific accident, when his vehicle was swept away by a flooded stream.
The incident occurred in the early hours of Monday morning at his home village of Ovinyange, which is located about 20km from Opuwo.
Uaundjisa Festus Muharukua (64), who was affectionately known as Kenatjironga Muharukua, was also the Special Advisor to the Kunene Regional Governor Josua //Hoebeb, who confirmed his death.
According to //Hoebeb, it is suspected Muharukua’s vehicle was swept away when he attempted to cross a flooded stream.
His body was also found a distance from the vehicle. He was alone in the vehicle.
Although the incident is believed to have taken place early Monday morning, the tragedy was only discovered around 12h00 yesterday by a group of children who were herding goats, some three to four kilometres from his home.
//Hoebeb said Kunene received heavy rains last weekend, heavily flooding local streams.
“In the case of the late Muharukua, there was a bridge where he was crossing, but it is not protected by rails, that is why the vehicle was swept away. These are the lessons we are learning,” said an emotional //Hoebeb.
//Hoebeb described Muharukua as a “son of the soil”, who was imprisoned and tortured during the liberation struggle because of his anti-apartheid activities.
“It takes someone with a great mind to stand up against apartheid from this region. He was my right-hand man, and a traditionalist,” said //Hoebeb.
Before President Hifikepunye Pohamba appointed him as the special advisor to the governor, Muharukua worked as an official in the Ministry of Lands and Resettlement.
He initially worked as a teacher.
The governor said it is too early to talk about funeral arrangements, as the incident is still fresh.
His wife Angelika and several children survive him.