Kunene’s first commissioner buried in Okahandja
Kunene’s first commissioner and former parliamentarian Hans Booys was laid to rest on Sunday in Okahandja.
Booys died on 19 July 2021, after a short illness. He served as a member of the National Assembly from 1999 to 2010, where he served on various standing committees and international parliamentary bodies. From 2008 to 2010, Booys also held the position of chief whip of the Swapo Party.
In a message of condolences delivered on his behalf at the service, Founding President Sam Nujoma described Booys as a seasoned Swapo activist and first commissioner of the Kunene region who played an active role in providing critical information to Swapo during the liberation struggle, suffering harassment and arrests due to his unwavering support for the national liberation struggle.
“Indeed, Booys’ political consciousness grew and intensified when he joined Swapo. Much of his participation in the liberation struggle is only known by a few people. He was trained inside Namibia as an intelligence operator. His training included the handling of weapons and ammunition and their proper storage, collection of information about the enemy as well as protection and concealment of combatants,” Nujoma said.
He added that Booys passing has certainly robbed the nation of one of its humble servants whose good and heroic deeds will always be remembered by the current and future generations of Namibians.
According to Nujoma, Booys will be remembered for his kindness, his professional approach, but above all for his ever-present sense of calm, even in a crisis or when under extreme pressure.
“He was a gentle giant and a voice of reason.”
Meanwhile, Speaker of the National Assembly Peter Katjavivi in his message of condolences said: “We at the National Assembly will remember Booys as a freedom fighter, committed legislator and a unifier who never compromised on his political principles. Honourable Booys contributed immensely to the liberation of our country and the freedom of our people. As we celebrate his life and times, may we find solace in the fact that he has completed his dignified life journey with a dedication to serve his beloved country, Namibia.”