MARIENTAL – Hardap Region bid farewell to its former governor and now Minister of Education, Arts and Culture Katrina Hanse-Himarwa over the weekend.
The three-day farewell started on Friday with a dinner attended by people from various sectors of the Hardap community including councillors, traditional leaders, church leaders, friends and family.
Speaker after speaker lauded the former governor’s great leadership skills and her straightforward way of doing things.
She was described as someone who people listened to when she spoke and a people’s person who is highly respected.
Mariental mayor Alex Kamburute likened the former governor to a hurricane saying that whenever she spoke people listened.
He congratulated her on her appointment as minister but also acknowledged the difficult task it would be to replace her.
The chairperson of the Hardap Regional Council’s management committee Jeremias van Neel narrated how Hanse-Himarwa had a hand in all developments in the region in her 11 years as governor – be it directly or indirectly.
He assured her that her legacy would be preserved and everyone would pull in the same direction to make sure that what she has planted in them will still be visible even though she will not be around.
“We will do our best to show you that we have learned something from you,” Van Neel said.
The farewell continued on Saturday at the Mariental show grounds with a huge turnout of young and old members of the community to say goodbye to their leader.
Hanse-Himarwa took to the podium to thank people for the respect, trust and cooperation they have shown during her tenure, adding that her success would not been possible if it weren’t for them.
She urged people to be as supportive of the next governor as they were of her and also called on her predecessor to develop a close relationship with the community, saying it is important that whoever takes over must go down “to the roots” to understand the needs of the community.
She expressed her readiness to take on education, saying that although a tough task awaits her she is not afraid of the responsibility.
Portraying education as a loaf of bread she said she was ready to eat it slowly but surely – but will not be doing so alone as she will have a team to work with.
“I will eat it up slice by slice, but I will not allow education to eat me up,” she said confidently.
She was presented with various gifts including a cowhide presented to her by the Mariental mayor on behalf of the Hardap Regional Council, a heifer from the Gochas Village Council, with Stampriet Village Council pledging a cow.
The celebrations were rounded off yesterday with a church service in her honour.