Cde Veicko Hausiku was born in Simanya village, Nkurenkuru, in the Kavango West region. He left his parents at the age of 16 to join his elder brother Japie in Gobabis.
His parents were Elina Za Sirunga who was married to his father Petrus Songora Tjau Hausiku at Nkurenkuru Missionary Hospital.
He was named after his uncle Tate Haitomeka.
After completion of his upper primary school, Veicko left his village for Gobabis, where he furthered his education at Driemiopsis with his siblings, Kauna Mulu, Frana Mulu and Efraim Dawids.
Among his family members are Mitiri Isaack Ueitele, Sarah Ueitele and Festus Ueitele.
Hausiku also attended school at Shifidi Secondary School in Windhoek under the stewardship of Marco Hausiku.
He found friends in politics such as Ignatius Shixameni, Kapara Tjivikua, Pule Katjiuongua, Mbapewa Muvangua, Nico Mungenga, Kaenda Naftali, Adam Eiseb, Kababy Kamatuka, Jacky Geingob, Mariana Erastus and many others.
Hausiku met his sweetheart Ndeumuna Elli Shaanika, who was employed as an educator at Nafau.
Veicko was married to Elli Hausiku on the 29th October 1994 and were blessed with five children and two children from his previous relationship.
Human titan
Death is an inevitable part of being human, but we are never really prepared when it happens to someone we love, and who worked especially during the dark days of our struggle for the liberation of our motherland. Grief is emotional, disorienting and complex.
Rituals like the wake; it is not our part to mourn. It is our right and privilege to celebrate the fact that we were blessed with so rare a gift of a fellow Namibian, who was simultaneously a genuine friend to us in the Swapo Party, a trustworthy colleague, an activist, a patriot, a human titan, who surrendered his life to the cause of all humanity, a principled revolutionary and a true comrade – ever loyal to the principles of his party and incapable of betraying the humanity of its cause.
Comrade Hausiku was a patriot who served the people of Namibia selflessly, without seeking personal gain and glory, without arrogance and abuse of power, with honesty, dedication, and dignity.
We remember Hausiku as a highly committed, reliable and hardworking member of our movement, especially the Swapo Youth League of the 80s. He contributed immensely to the political mobilisation during the dark days as the Swapo was banned. Many youth league members were tasked with the mobilisation of the ideology of Swapo.
He was a legendary figure in the fight against apartheid. So, it is only fitting we remember him on a day like today. It is a crying shame that he is no more with us to witness the second revolution of economic emancipation.
Hausiku will perhaps be remembered best for the way he soothed tension among the more radical elements of our youth league. Moreover, his influence over the young patriots who had to leave the country for exile to pursue the liberation struggle.
In truth, there were three drivers who worked full time for the party, namely: Hausiku, Helmut Tjeriko and Martin Iyambo. Today, only Martin Iyambo is alive.
He drove us around with the movement combi and sometimes with the Landcruiser on the instructions and direction of Comrade Jacky Geingob, who was our head administrator.
Comrade Hausiku always drove two days before the actual activities of the party got underway, especially when he delivered Swapo material for campaign and rallies.
The youth league used Kababy Kamatuka’s house in Windhoek North as their warehouse, hiding and dispatching place.
Comrade Nico Mungenga, who was a member of the party’s cultural group (Bazooka), played a major role with Comrade Hausiku in terms of mobilisation.
He travelled the landscape of Namibia to mobilise the party cadres and created structures within the country.
He was entrusted with risky and sensitive duties inside the country.
Most of the youth who left the country were transported by him during the night. He did so faithfully, despite the presence of Major General Geldenhuis and the notorious Proclamation’s AG 9 and AG 26, respectively, targeting mostly the Swapo Party operations and the entire leadership.
His unwavering commitment to the struggle, trustworthiness, fearlessness and bravery gave him the honour to be recognised as a veteran; however, to date, he was not recognised as a veteran.
For us, who worked with him, he is a veteran of the liberation struggle.
Comrade Hausiku chose the suffering of life of honour, rather than the false comfort of a Judas.
He had been cut down in the prime of his life with the frightening mystery of a flash of lightning.
Go well compatriot, unsung hero!
Compiled by
Haroldt Kababy Kamatuka
Bevin Devlo
Jacky Geingob
Nico Mungenga
Adam Eiseb
Elli Hausiku