‘The Promise Has Been Kept’ – President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as Liberation Heroes Are Laid to Rest at Heroes’ Acre
By TUW
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has described the return of Namibia’s liberation struggle heroes and 84 ancestral human remains as a moment of national reflection, gratitude and pride, saying the country has fulfilled its promise to bring its fallen home.
“The promise has been kept: our nationals have returned to the warm soil of the country for whose freedom they gave their lives,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
The President made the remarks as Namibia received the remains of liberation struggle veterans Festus Nehale and Simon Petrus Niilenge, who died after being imprisoned on Robben Island, together with 84 ancestral human remains that had been held at the Iziko Museum in South Africa.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said the homecoming carries a significance that extends beyond the physical return of the remains, describing it as an important step in confronting painful chapters of Namibia’s history and restoring dignity, identity and belonging.
“Hosea Kutako International Airport is more than a point of arrival. It is the place where we gather to receive the remains of our people whose lives were caught in some of the most difficult chapters of our history,” she said.
“Today is a heavy day. It is also a day of profound reflection, solemn gratitude and deep national pride.”
The President also recognised the suffering endured by families who spent decades without their loved ones.
“To the families who have carried, for more than five decades, the pain of loss and the burden of uncertainty: we acknowledge your anguish, we honour your patience, and we thank you for the strength with which you have preserved the memory of your loved ones,” she said.
Nandi-Ndaitwah acknowledged that the passage of time could not erase the pain experienced by the families.
“No ceremony can return the years that were lost, nor can words erase the pain you have endured,” she said.
However, she stressed that the homecoming sends a powerful message that the sacrifices made during Namibia’s liberation struggle have not been forgotten.
“Yet, through this homecoming, our nation affirms that our people and their sacrifices were not forgotten, and that their place in the history of Namibia remains secure,” the President said.
The two liberation heroes, Nehale and Niilenge, are being reinterred at Heroes’ Acre in Windhoek, where the nation is paying tribute to their contribution to the struggle for Namibia’s independence.
The 84 ancestral remains, meanwhile, will remain under the care of the Ministry of Education, Innovation, Youth, Sports, Arts and Culture as further processes concerning their identification, preservation and final disposition continue.
Nandi-Ndaitwah also expressed gratitude to South African President Cyril Ramaphosa for his leadership and cooperation in facilitating the repatriation.
“The return of our fallen heroes is also a powerful reminder of the enduring bonds of solidarity, shared history, and cooperation between our two nations and people,” she said.
The President’s message ultimately centred on remembrance and responsibility: while the fallen have finally returned home, their legacy must continue to guide the nation.
“Their long journey has ended, but their legacy lives on,” she said.
For Namibia, the homecoming represents both the closing of a painful chapter for affected families and a renewed commitment to preserving the history and sacrifices that shaped the country’s independence.
