OKALONGO – While many Namibians groom their donkeys for ploughing and for transport a 53-year-old war veteran who is a loyal Swapo member dresses his donkeys in pieces of clothing showing Swapo colours. The diehard liberation movement supporter resides at Oneheke in the Omusati Region.
A New Era journalist visited Oneheke village in Etayi constituency in Omusati on Heroes Day and came across donkeys grazing in the oshanas decorated with pieces of clothing of Swapo Party colours around their necks.
Upon investigation, villagers of Onekehe directed New Era to the owner of the donkeys where he narrated his idea to adorn his 14 donkeys in Swapo colours.
Festus Mwetupunga, well known as ‘Dungu’ says the idea started in 1989 shortly before Namibia gained its independence in 1990 as a way of campaigning for Swapo to win the elections.
Mwetupunga said he is one of the people who fought the enemy inside the country between the Namibian and Angolan borders during the liberation struggle and has also now been recognised as a war veteran.
“Back then in 1989, the opposition parties especially the DTA used to tie their flags around palm trees. We found it difficult to eat fruits from those trees with opposition party flags. At the time many of our comrades were also busy joining the opposition parties. Then I decided to dress my donkeys in Swapo colours and named them after freedom fighters in an attempt to convince those comrades who were leaving Swapo to come back,” he noted.
His donkeys bear names used by freedom fighters such as Ndjeke Nopuudjuu, Kafinana Kaandili and Mashina (gwo Kolutenda) named after the Moses Amweelo railway, among other names.
Mwetupung said he was convinced that if he adorned his animals in Swapo colours many of the people who left the party would return. “My idea made a positive impact because indeed most of the comrades returned back to Swapo after they saw my donkeys dressed in party colours. They feel that even donkeys are in Swapo, then why not them and most returned back home (Swapo)?”
He said even if his animals go missing, they are very easy to identify because of the Swapo colours they wear. “If they are lost I go search even as deep as in Angola or I go on air and announce if anyone saw donkeys with Swapo flags on their necks to contact me. Often I find them very fast. My donkeys even salute me once I command them,” Mwetupunga countered. Further, he said he waits for a donkey to turn 18 years old before he dresses them in party flags.
Asked what he uses his donkeys for, he said he also usest hem for ploughing during the rainy season. “If I see the rainy season is good and my donkeys are happy, I go an extra mile to buy them new flags for their hard work,” he told New Era.
By Albertina Nakale