A tribute to Comrade Immanuel Ngatjizeko
On Saturday, 5 March 2022, the devastating news reached Namibia that His Worship, Immanuel Ngatjizeko, former mayor of Windhoek is no more.
It is with great sadness that the Windhoek municipality has to bid farewell to our former mayor, the late comrade Ngatjzeko, whom we have known for years as a humble person, a leader of immense repute, a mentor and a visionary. From the history book of persons serving as mayor for Windhoek municipality, we get to know that councillor Abraham Bernard May served from 1990-1991.
Followed by councillor Petra Hamman who served from 1991-1992. The Local Authority Act, 1992 (Act no. 23 of 1992), which commenced on 31 August 1992, has resulted in the internal identification and elections of Swapo Party members to be candidates of local authority councillors of Windhoek.
During that period, Swapo Party needed loyal, vibrant, business-minded and dedicated party members, who will be able to implement an inclusive and non-discriminatory local government system.
Among the identified and elected candidates, councillor Matheus Shikongo served as a mayor from 1993 to 1994. It is important to mention the first female mayor in independent Namibia, councillor Viviene Graig-McLaren who served from 1994 to 1995.
Thereafter, councillor Dr Bjorn von Finckenstein served from 1995. One can clearly observe the grooming system was core as councillor Immanuel Ngatjizeko served as a mayor from 1999 to 2002. Once again, councillor Shikongo served from 2000 to 2010. For the sake of space, allow the list to end here.
During the time, the key focus was service delivery and provision of quality of life to all residents of Windhoek. It is vital to highlight that comrade Ngatjizeko and others were never chased away by councillors’ low allowances.
The guiding principles were solidarity, freedom and justice. We shall indeed all remember comrade Ngatjizeko for his remarkable contribution to Namibia’s liberation struggle and political dimension, as an accomplished activist, and a seasoned political leader. He remarkably distinguished himself as a solid unifying factor, a steadfast, and unselfish cadre who devoted his life to the wellbeing of the Namibian people.
During his stay at Windhoek municipality, comrade Ngatjizeko served as a councillor, chairperson of the management committee and mayor, respectively.
Extracting from those who worked closely with him described during his tenure of office, he demonstrated a high acumen of intellect and carried himself with integrity, reliability, honesty, trustworthiness, and commitment. He had also accumulated an unrecoverable worth of institutional memory and the history of our country. As we mourn comrade Ngatjizeko, we should also reflect back on the good memories and wisdom he has instilled and left behind with us.
Although his death came untimely; and has shocked us deeply, he has lived to make a positive impact in contributing to the development of our city and Namibia as a member of Cabinet and a national leader. We have so many perspectives, experiences, memories and moments of comrade Ngatjizeko, which we all, will continue to consciously hold onto.
Comrade Mujiwa George Mayumbelo describes His Worship Ngatjizeko that: “He was always fair, and his contributions shaped Windhoek municipality‘s Affirmative Action Policy”, while councillor Dr Job Shipululo Amupanda referred to the “TRIO of the time, we learn the Politics of Tactical Sophistication and Fairness.”
This is no surprise that the trio - Shikongo, Dr Finckenstein and Ngatjizeko - follows each other, with few months apart, in their journey of departure from earth.
Comrade Amalia Ndjaba, the longest serving employee at Swapo Party national headquarters, who worked closely with comrade Ngatjizeko while serving as the secretary for finance (1997-2017) described him as “honest, dedicated to the economic affairs of Swapo Party, humble, soft-spoken person with a soft voice and peaceful”.
At the time I started as councillor at Windhoek municipality, all the strategic meetings were held in the Immanuel Ngatjizeko Boardroom on the sixth floor at town house.
The legacy will continue! It is these experiences, memories and moments, which will keep cde Ngatjizeko alive in each and every one of us. At the same time, we should acknowledge and accept that cde Ngatjizeko has returned home.
Therefore, let us all suspend our sorrow and use this moment to remember and celebrate cde Ngatjizeko’s worth lived life. In this spirit, I wish to offer our sympathy to the bereaved family, the big family of Swapo Party, the children, and the entire family on this untimely irreplaceable loss. His legacy surrounds us, and he will be sorely missed.
May the Lord give us all, peace, strength, solace and hope during this time of bereavement.