Keynote Statement by President Nangolo Mbumba on the Inauguration of the Hosea Kutako Museum & Shrine on 10 December 2024 at Toasis, Aminuis
“The Presidency
Keynote Statement by His Excellency, Dr. Nangolo Mbumba, President of the Republic of Namibia on the Occasion of the Inauguration of the Hosea Kutako Memorial Museum and Homestead Shrine
10 December 2024
Toasis, Aminius [Aminuis; ed.] Constituency
Omaheke Region
Director of Proceedings, Hon. Obeth Kandjoze, Director General of the National Planning Commission;
Honourable Prof. Peter Katjavivi, Speaker of the National Assembly;
Honourable John Mutorwa, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Works and Transport;
Madame Sustjie Mbumba, First Lady of the Republic of Namibia;
Honourable Ministers and Deputy Ministers;
Honourable Members of Parliament;
Your Excellencies, Members of the Diplomatic Corps;
Comrade Sophia Shaningwa, Secretary General of the SWAPO Party;
Leader of the Official Opposition in Parliament, Honourable McHenry Venaani;
Governor of the Omaheke Region, Honourable Pijoo Nganate;
All Regional Governors present;
Ondangere Vekarapo Mungendje;
Bishop Wylie Vekarapo Upi of the Oruuano Church;
Esteemed Traditional and Religious Leaders;
Distinguished family members of the Kutako, Mungendje and Mungunda clans;
Distinguished Service Chiefs;
Honourable Regional and Local Authority Councilors;
Fellow Namibians;
Ladies and Gentlemen;
1. Today, on this momentous occasion, I am honoured to join you here on these hallowed and historic grounds of Toasis at the homestead of a widely revered nation-builder and Ombara Otjitambi, Hosea Komombumbi Katjikururume Kutako. We are
here to witness this significant event because of our shared commitment to the values Chief Kutako stood for. Chief Kutako was an exemplary nationalist and a leader of peace. He was a leader of unity and a leader of justice for the Namibian people.
2. The homestead of Chief Kutako, on which we stand, represents more than a homestead in the history of Namibia. It represents a bastion of resistance against German colonialism and the illegal Apartheid occupation of our land. It represents the unity of the Namibian people, which carried them during the formidable, but victorious fight against racism, German colonialism and illegal Apartheid occupation. It represents the resilience of our struggle for independence to build a country that is united in diversity.
3. I have no doubt that our presence here lends weight to our collective efforts to build the Namibian House through the celebration and memorialization of Namibians who have made outstanding contributions in the journey of our nation. Our presence here also bears testimony to the resistance of Chief Kutako against colonial oppression, including his courageous and visionary leadership to bring Namibians together to fight a common enemy and to forge a common future.
4. In 1947, a relentless Anglican Priest from England, Reverend Michael Scott came here, established a rapport with Chief Kutako and was given the task to petition the United Nations to end the illegal occupation of Namibia by Apartheid South Africa. In his autobiography, Where Others Wavered, our Founding Father, President Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma who was mentored by Chief Kutako, recounts the wisdom and the lessons about courage and unity that he received from Katjikurume as Chief Kutako was affectionately known.
5. Since independence, and in recognition of the special place Chief Hosea Kutako holds in the annals of Namibian history, we have honoured his legacy in a number of ways. Our main airport was renamed Hosea Kutako International Airport and one of the key roads in Windhoek carries his great name. A statue of Chief Kutako is in front of the Parliament. On the 26th of August 2002 at the inauguration of Heroes Acre on the outskirts of Windhoek, our Founding Father, President Sam Nujoma inscribed Chief Hosea Kutako as one of the 9 founding heroes of the Namibian people.
Ladies and gentlemen,
6. In addition to the reasons of historical and moral significance, which I have shared with you, allow me to explain how we arrived at this point. Following several visits to the homestead of the revered Chief Hosea Komombumbi Katjikurume Kutako at Toasis after independence, the late President Hage G. Geingob recommended for the transfer of the dwelling to a National Heritage Place during the October 2018 second inclusive national land conference.
7. In a statement to the Namibian people on the 10th of October 2018, immediately after the successful conclusion of the land conference, President Geingob directed that the dwelling place of Chief Kutako needed to be renovated and a shrine in remembrance of his heroic role for independence should be erected.
8. President Geingob also directed the creation of an inclusive High-Level Committee on the 2nd National Land Conference under the leadership of the Prime Minister, Rt Hon. Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila. The mandate of the Committee under the Prime Minister has been to follow-up and to direct the implementation of the resolutions of the land conference, including the implementation of the Presidential directives under which the renovations of the dwelling place of the Chief Hosea Kutako fall.
9. The Kutako family under the leadership of the late Ondangere Abisai Mungendje agreed with the decision of the Namibian Government to declare the site a National Heritage Place in accordance with the National Heritage Act. In that vein, the Government fulfilled all notices and procedures, including publication in the Government Gazette No. 7049 of 15 November 2019.
10. On the 9th of April 2021, President Geingob officiated at the groundbreaking ceremony. I am pleased to inform the Namibian people that we made a promise to renovate this dwelling place to reflect the stature of a great leader of the Namibian people and to accord him the respect he deserves. It is a promise that we have kept.
Ladies and gentlemen,
11. It is not a coincidence that we are inaugurating this museum and shrine on the 10th of December, which is the United Nations International Human Rights Day. Chief Kutako who was a survivor of the first genocide of the 20th century against the Ovaherero and Nama people has also been recognized outside our country with his bust elevated proudly at the United Nations Headquarters in New York, United States of America. These different forms of recognition bears evidence to the immense role Chief Kutako played as a petitioner in fighting for the self-determination and the human rights of the Namibian people.
12. Today is also Women’s day in Namibia, the day on which the Apartheid regime forcefully removed Namibians in 1959 from the Old Location to Katutura leading to the tragic death of resistance fighter and national hero, Mrs Anna Kakurukaze Mungunda. Indeed, we are paying a fitting tribute to Chief Kutako by inaugurating this place of heritage on the 10th of December.
13. In closing, I would like to thank all the Offices, Ministries, Agencies, the Kutako, Mungendje and Mungunda clans, and stakeholders that worked tirelessly to ensure the successful completion of this historic National Heritage Place, the Chief Hosea Kutako Memorial Museum and Homestead Shrine. Every place of heritage means more than heritage and nation-building. For every Namibia Dollar that we spend on heritage, we should be innovative to create employment opportunities for Namibians. I am pleased to hear that during the construction phase, many job opportunities were created for inhabitants of this area.
14. Similarly, going forward, this National Heritage Place should provide opportunities for the promotion of small businesses to thrive in this area through cultural tourism. I urge the National Heritage Council to work closely with the Omaheke Regional Council, traditional leaders and economic actors to unlock opportunities for business activities.
15. I have a message for the people of this community and Namibians at large – this is your place, look after it as a tribute to the memory of President Hage G. Geingob who initiated this project. Look after it, in memory of Chief Hosea Kutako, an icon, a symbol of resistance against oppression and a national hero.
16. With these words, I now declare the Chief Hosea Kutako Memorial Museum and Homestead Shrine officially open.
I thank you.”
- Keynote statement by the Namibian President Nangolo Mbumba on the occasion of the inauguration of the Hosea Kutako Memorial Museum and Homestead Shrine at Toasis, Aminuis, on 10 December 2024, as PDF document
- Video recording (2:27:41) of the ceremony of the inauguration of the Hosea Kutako Memorial Museum and Homestead Shrine at Toasis, Aminuis, on NBC’s YouTube channel (last checked in December 2024)