President Yoweri Museveni on Monday afternoon expressed heartfelt appreciation for the late H.E. Hage Geingob’s significant role in the liberation of Namibia and Africa.
Museveni who also conveyed condolences to Geingob’s family and the Namibian people, cited their decades-long friendship since the 1970s.
Recalling his collaboration with the Namibian Liberation Movement, Museveni emphasized the pivotal role played by SWAPO in the liberation of Africa from colonial rule.
He highlighted his 57-year association with SWAPO, dating back to 1967, and his efforts to demystify misconceptions about African armed resistance against oppressive regimes.
“I have been working with SWAPO, the Namibian Liberation Movement, for the last 57 years, starting with 1967. Initially, I used to interact with SWAPO youth from Kurasini in Dar-es-Salaam, that is why, in 1968, I led a group of students into the liberated areas of Northern Mozambique (Cabo Delgado). That visit helped to kill the decampaigning efforts by the Portuguese Secret Police and that of the South African Whites, disparaging the efforts of the freedom fighters of the still colonized countries, as pleasure lovers who only spend time in the night clubs of Dar-es-Salaam in spite of Africa and other freedom lovers giving them material support,” he noted.
“We used to organize lectures and solidarity meetings for the Liberation Movements at the university to demystify the idea that the oppressive Whites in Africa could not be defeated by African arms and inform the Africans of the efforts of their brother freedom fighters of Southern Africa and Guinea Bissau,” he added.
The passing of Dr. Hage Geingob, a distinguished servant, liberation icon, and chief architect of Namibia’s constitution, was announced by acting president Nangolo Mbumba in the early hours of Sunday morning.
While the burial program is pending official release, the Namibian government is actively managing state arrangements and protocols.