Tributes have been pouring in for former Cabinet minister and renowned Swapo activist Immanuel Ngatjizeko, who passed away last week.
President Hage Geingob announced Ngatjizeko’s death after the freedom fighter died on Saturday at the age of 69. “I received with immense sadness the news about the passing of one of Namibia’s brave freedom fighters and committed sons, honourable Immanuel Ngatjizeko. The late Ngatjizeko has served Namibia and her people with dedication and commitment for many years when he served as Swapo organiser since 1978. He carried out all his responsibilities as a freedom fighter and member of the Namibian cabinet with great passion and commitment, inspired by his love for his country and people. His passing is a great loss to our nation,” Geingob said.
Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa praised Ngatjizeko for his dedication and honesty in dealing with the party’s finances during his tenure as Swapo secretary for finance.
After independence, he was elected to the Swapo central committee in 1991, and politburo in 2007.
“Being the secretary for finance, he managed to collect N$30 million from Swapo members who voluntarily contributed to the construction of the party headquarters. I found more than N$30 million in the new generation account, which they established for the construction of the party headquarters. The N$30 million was never tampered with under his capable hands,” Shaningwa noted.
Swapo stalwart Jerry Ekandjo also paid glowing tribute to Ngatjizeko, remembering him as a dedicated cadre. “When we were at Robben Island, he was one of the youth league executive members inside the country in the 1970s and 80s. They mobilised the youth inside to join the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN). He was a very active member. He was also a finance officer at CCN, which was catering for political returnees,” he said.
Ekandjo also recalled when he was captured with Ngatjizeko and other political leaders in the 1980s.
“With the release of the Mariental returnees after they were captured from Cassinga in Angola between 1983-84, we welcomed them in the mountains around Döbra. While there, the police came and arrested us. We were about 20, including Ngatjizeko, and were detained at the Osire concentration camp for a week,” he narrated.
He described Ngatjizeko as “one of the unsung heroes of the liberation struggle”.
The Otjohorongo-born politician was also a former mayor of Windhoek before entering mainstream politics.
Ngatjizeko became a member of parliament in 2000 and was a member of Cabinet since 2003 when he was appointed director general of the National Planning Commission.
He then served in various portfolios such as mines, trade, labour, safety and security and presidential affairs until he resigned in 2018 for health reasons.
–anakale@nepc.com.na