By Timoteus Mashuna
WINDHOEK – The unpublished biography of George Nambinga suggests he is an uncompromising former warrior of the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN).
He spent most of his time in exile at the front line, survived countless life threatening battles, yet he never compromised his desire to liberate his motherland. “Life or death Namibia has to be free,” wrote Nambinga who was born on the 3rd of March 1953 at Oshikunde, a village located between Eehana and Okongo in the Ohagwena Region. He is the son of Hedimbi Nambinga (father) and Ndeulita Shimbode (mother). As a child, he grew up like other children looking after the family’s livestock. “I first started herding my father’s cattle after I, without the consent of my parents, decided to follow my father’s herders who were going back to the cattle post after they attended the traditional cattle show (Oudano wEengombe).” He attended school at Oshikude where he completed Sub 4, however owing to his involvement in herding family livestock he could not complete all his school grades. The political exposure that culminated in his involvement in the struggle for liberation started way back in the early 1960s.
At a very young age “my mother used to tell me that some of my family members have gone out of the country to fight for the liberation of the country.”
These were my elder brothers Kambindi Munyika, known as Julius Shilongo, my mother’s young brother Shalongo Shimbonde and my father’s grandson Peter Mweshihange. So, my political exposure started at a very young age,” writes Nambinga. Things reached a turning point when in 1966 Nambinga saw the South African Security Police helicopters and cars pursuing his brother Julius Shilongo who was part of the Group 2 (G2) Swapo military commandos who were spotted whilst attempting to cross into the country to join the first group (G1) which by then had already established a military camp at Omugulugombashe.
That, together with a 1972 event where Nambinga’s brother, Tomas Mweshingange by then a Swapo district coordinator in Orajemundu was killed whilst addressing a meeting at Epinga prompted him to go into exile in 1975. While there he underwent his first guerilla warfare training, at Efitu area inside Angola. After the training, he was assigned to go to the border in the area of Omanyele-Oheyoka village. Recounting the first of many battles he had to fight at the front Nambinga noted “my first battle under the command of Kalola and Kambwa kaShilongo was between Omanyele and Onghwiyu villages were we attacked the South African troops at Ohaikedi dam.
A week later we attacked a temporary base of Unita bandits at Okangoya KaHamukoto under the command of Danger Ashipala, Shikuma and Masipa. At that battle I was slightly injured in my left eye.”
Early in March 1977, Nambinga, Hakuholeenghali and many others in the reconnaissance section were selected to establish the Tobias Hainyeko military training centre in Angola.
There he underwent a month-and-a-half of military training and later on was deployed to the northern front. Whilst at the northern front in 1977, they attacked the South African soldiers at Etale laMutwewondjaba along the vicinity of Ekongola and Oshauhalwa villages. “We defeated them and captured some materials, including firearms and there were no injuries on our side.”
Owing to his impressive military record Nambinga was selected to join PLAN’s special military Unit, Typhoon where he continued to demonstrate his exceptional combat skills.
He is currently a senior member of the Namibian Police Force.