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Job Shipululo Amupanda
By 2010, 12 years after Namibia's involvement in the DRC conflict, there was still no scholarly account of Namibia's involvement in this post-1945 major conflict that over the African continent involving close to 10 countries. 19659002] Namibia was involved in the conflict, alongside Angola and Zimbabwe, on the side of Laurent Kabila, the father of the current president Joseph Kabila, who was under siege from rebels who enjoyed the support of Rwanda and Uganda among others
By Kabila Senior was already at the airport for Lubumbashi. Namibian troops started engaging the rebels at the airport. The military commitment was, therefore, very instrumental in the survival of the Kabila regime. Beyond military involvement, Namibia also gave a loan, which was more than $ 20 million to the regime in 1999. It is for this reason that my young mind This area for my Masters of Arts in Political Science degree at the University of Stellenbosch. The title was; A Comparative Analysis of Namibia's Peacemaking Role in the Southern African Development Community: The case of the Democratic Republic of Congo and Angola (1996-2002). For this complex and secretive topic, it was going to be difficult to conduct research. In fact, most of the senior SWAPO leaders were not co-operative.
The role of a leader in the management of the epidemic. Benjamin Gurirab, then Speaker of the National Assembly, was different. He understood the importance of research and understood the centrality and importance of students and youth in this country. As soon as I made contact with Simon Uirab, then Personal Assistant, an interview was arranged in early 2011, for me to sit down with this great intellectual and an astute diplomat. It was during this first encounter that I got to understand the political dynamics, the foreign policy policies and the balance of forces at play during the two conflicts. The discussion operated at three levels; grandfather-grandchild discussion, scholar – politician / diplomat discussion.
The grandfather-grandchild discussion saw Dr. Gurirab persuading me to drop my critical writings on Namibia 's foreign policy and said "if you want to go into diplomacy, come talk to me" . This conversation went on until it led to the other. The short version is that it was a rich discussion, which we agreed to, and it was taught that
But I still declined, to go to him and serve in diplomacy that is. The second discussion, scholar-politician / diplomat discussion was an asymmetric discussion.
I was unable to get specific details, the way I wanted to, because of his skilful and tactful ability to navigate out of taught questions. I was, however, able to gain important insights from these discussions that were helpful and assisted in the completion of my study. I was able to understand the nature of the foreign policy maker, President Nujoma, and auxiliary foreign policy makers such as Dr. Gurirab
I was able to get insights into the 'behind-the-scene' dynamics of the Angolan conflict including Dr. Gurirab's two meetings with UNITA's leader, Jonas Savimbi – a disclosure that took efforts to come by. He also took me to confidence as a postural discourse he was forced to take, as the Minister of Foreign Affairs, because of the dynamics of the time. Chief of Staff Lt. E.D Ndaitwah, NDF Chief of Staff Brig. General Karel Ndjoba, Benjamin Ulenga and many others.
The insightful learning of a grandfather and critical engagement on various subjects. Two years later, after our 4 hours meeting, we would meet each other in the SWAPO corridors. The years 2012 to 2014 were very important because of our efforts to change the country. The SWAPO elites reached a determination that we are not guaranteed and liquidated, SWAPO might take a radical position and disturb the existing elite privileges. The SWAPO leadership has a committee chaired by Dr. Gurirab, consisting of Dr. Nickey Iyambo, Dr. Libertine Amadhila, Marco Hausiku, and Nangolo Mbumba among others to meet and discuss our so-called 'unacceptable conductors' in party and national politics. [19659002] While others took cannibalistic positions, Dr. Gurirab was one of the most important things in the world. As an astute politician, who can also engage in political acrobatics according to the balance of forces, his reports to the SWAPO politburo remains a mystery but his grandfather character prevailed and placed all hostile parties in comfort. We will never forget.
When we started the Affirmative Repositioning (AR) in 2014, Dr. Gurirab remained true to his character – maintaining a grandfather position, expressing his stance within the SWAPO cultural collective and recognizing the role of youth. He did not wish to be harmed. These are his views on our struggle for land and our efforts; "We have talked enough [on land]. Twenty-five years after independence, we must grab this animal by the horns. We have talked enough … Job did not want to be impressed with his threats "
Where I was wrong he would be in his position. Where I was ok, he would do the same. When the University of Namibia is working on the Tactical and Diplomatic Relations, as part of the Namibia History Project, I had to engage him. In our last telephonic conversation, he informed me that he is following our activism. We must continue, it is important, he counselled.
As we remember Theophilus Benjamin Gurirab, it is not only about our encounters with him that matter but what he represented. For me he is an enigma. An astute, calm and collected statesman with a kind heart. He understood the importance and role of the youth and students in advancing the struggle forward. He did not force people to accept his position because he is old or fought for freedom; he used the art of persuasion.
He knew that the people were made to understand through persuasion, and not forced, the impact would be stronger and enduring. Although we have not been able to comment on this topic, it has been suggested to us by Simon Uirab that we are in the mood for this country. He was, indeed, a friend of the youth of Namibia. Ancestry has received a kindest member. He was born in the middle of the city in 1945. * Job Shipululo Amupanda is a de-colonial scholar and activist from Omaalala village in northern Namibia.
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