KING KAULUMA – Simeon Lineekela ‘Kambo’ Shixungileni, one of the first heroes of Namibia’s liberation struggle, was laid to rest at his home village of King Kauluma on Saturday.
He died recently at the age of 80.
Shixungileni was accorded a state funeral that was attended by a number of icons in the struggle for Namibia’s independence, including President Hifikepunye Pohamba, Founding President Sam Nujoma, Prime Minister Hage Geingob and Swapo Secretary General Nangolo Mbumba.
A number of former Namibian war prisoners from Robben Island who were sentenced together with Shixungileni for their resistance activities were also present at the burial as well as the memorial service that took place on Friday.
“A veteran of the struggle for national liberation and independence is no more,” declared President Pohamba.
“A stalwart of our revolution and a dedicated patriot has gone to join the ancestors. Today we fondly remember and celebrate the illustrious life of comrade Simeon Lineekela Shixungileni, who passed away on 30 September 2014.”
Pohamba recalled emotionally the days of the liberation struggle and said Shixungileni was the second-in-command among the group of six South West Africa Liberation Army (SWALA) combatants who took part in the historic battle at Omugulu gwOmbashe on August 26 1966.
The assault was historic in that it was the first armed confrontation, which marked the beginning of Namibia’s war against colonial South Africa.
Others who formed part of that historic group were John yaOtto Nankudhu who was the commander, Patrick Israel Iyambo (Lungada), Mesag Victory Namwandi, James Hamukwaya and Nestor Kavela. Kavela who was also present at the funeral, is now the only surviving member of the group now known as G1.
Nujoma, who was the commander-in-chief for the war against the colonial regime, urged the younger generation to derive their inspiration for national development and national building from the likes of Shixungileni.
“Kambo dedicated his youth and adulthood to the liberation struggle,” the founding president said.
“He lived in the jungles and mountains where he was trained as a guerrilla.
“He was one of the last two surviving members of G1 who walked from Tanganyika (Tanzania), across the rivers and jungles and walked to Onghulumbashe … Let this generation and the coming generations derive their inspiration from the likes of Kambo.”
Shixungileni was sentenced to life imprisonment but released in 1986, after spending 20 years in prison. Two years were served in Pretoria and 18 years on Robben Island.
Kambo remained sickly after his release from prison. This came as a result of torture and sufferings that he endured while in prison, at the hands of the apartheid regime.
“We were beaten up and tortured with electricity. We were made to go into the cold sea to pull out seaweed during cold winters and made to crush stones during hot summers. We suffered in prison,” he wrote in his autobiography that was read by the Minister of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture Jerry Ekandjo.
Late Shixungileni’s widow, Teopolina, said she discovered her husband’s ill health two weeks after they got married in 1987. But because of his strong will to live, he stayed alive, strong and provided for his family.
“He was a good man who never made me feel the age gap between us,” she said.
Kambo is survived by his wife, six sons and three grandchildren.