Statement by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah
on the occasion of the Genocide Remembrance Day,
Parliament Gardens, Windhoek, 28 May 2025

[Script as posted on the Facebook page of the Namibian Presidency; ed.]

“Fellow Namibians.

Today, on this solemn occasion of extraordinary historic significance, as a nation in unity with “One Heart and One Mind”, we join one another to mark the Inaugural Remembrance Day of the 1904-1908 Genocide.

Our journey to reach this stage of commemoration marks a turning point in dealing with our shared colonial past as Namibians. We would not have been able to gather here today, if it was not for our collective resolve and efforts to address this genocidal chapter in the history of the affected communities, namely the OvaHerero and Nama as well as the Namibian people at large.

May I ask that we stand and observe a minute of silence in honour of all victims of the genocide and also our forebears who championed its recognition.

Having now recognized our forebears, I now wish to extend my sincere appreciation to my predecessors, the Founding President, Father of the Namibian Nation, and Leader of our Revolution, H.E. Dr. Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma, (May His Soul Continue to Rest in Peace), the second President, H.E. Dr. Hifikepunye Pohamba, the third President, H.E. Dr. Hage G. Geingob, (May His Soul Continue to Rest in Peace) and the fourth President, H.E. Dr. Nangolo Mbumba.

I commend them for their noble and courageous efforts in building a nation through our shared history. It was under their leadership that we started discussing the most appropriate manner to remember the first Genocide of the 20th century perpetuated against our people in particular the OvaHerero and Nama by the German Imperial Forces. This day will go down in the history of our country as we are officially commemorating it as Namibians for the first time in our nation’s history.

Director of Ceremonies,

We are gathering at Parliament Gardens to remember the Genocide that was unleashed 121 years ago in our land. We are here because on the 2nd of October 1904, the notorious General Lothar von Trotha of the German army issued the first extermination order against the Ovaherero. We are also gathered here because on the 22nd of April 1905, the same brutal Von Trotha issued an extermination order against the Nama people.

Sadly, between 1904 and 1908 more than 100 000 Ovaherero and Nama people were brutally massacred by the German colonial government under the policy of extermination and genocide. Many people from the two communities were forced into concentration camps where they were starved to death and their skulls were taken to Germany for so-called scientific research.

These horrendous acts are now part of our collective history of resistance and resilience in our march to freedom. Namibia is today free, peaceful and we are now focusing on the task of building a country in which each citizen can fulfil their potential.

However, we shall never forget the emotional, psychological, economic and cultural scars which remain etched in the affected communities and the broader fabric of our nation. In that vein, our presence at this occasion marks a decisive step forward in dealing with the past by collectively remembering and sharing the pain of the directly affected, Ovaherero and Nama communities.

No doubt, during that fateful genocidal chapter in our history, those two communities went through the most horrendous, devastating and traumatic period in their lives. Against this background, by Proclamation number 19 of 2024, the 28th of May was declared a day of Remembrance of Genocide and Public Holiday. We are therefore, here for the first time as a nation to remind ourselves of the dark days of 1904-1908.

Genocide Remembrance Day, which is a public holiday should be a powerful reminder about our shared resolve to continue on the path of nation-building, reconciliation and healing the wounds of the past. This day must always make us to recognize what our brave ancestors endured in defence of this land. Thus, inspiring us to defend our country’s independence and all our natural resources for the benefit of all Namibians today and in the future.

Director of Ceremonies,
Fellow Namibians,

The choice of Parliament Gardens as a place to hold the first Genocide Remembrance Day is of symbolic importance. Since independence, it is here where successive elected Governments have been changing the direction of our country from a past of division under German colonial occupation and the South African Apartheid regime to a shared present and future of unity, peace and development.

Also of significance, just next to this Parliament Gardens, is the Independence Memorial Museum standing at the site of one of the concentration camps, where victims were prosecuted and executed.

Director of Ceremonies,

One thing that we need to know, coming to the declaration of this specific day, it was not a one person or a small group of people’s decision. The Genocide Remembrance Day was discussed in Parliament by our parliamentarians, the people we have elected as our leaders to speak on our behalf and to take decisions that will govern our day to day lives through laws and resolutions.

The 28th of May being the day on which all concentration camps were closed, was chosen and decided following serious debates and national consultations on a motion that was tabled in 2016 by Hon Usutuaije Maamberua, then President of SWANU and member of parliament.

Therefore, the choice of this day was not an arbitrary decision by the Executive, but a decision based on a report submitted to Cabinet following consultations by a National Assembly Standing Committee with members of the Namibian public across the country. That is to say, the final decision to have 28th of May as Genocide Remembrance Day was guided by an internationally accepted principle of consensus.

We may be all aware that consensus does not mean unanimity. Accordingly, I am calling on our people in particular, the OvaHerero and Nama communities to understand the situation and to say, finally we have a day in a year that unites us as a nation to remember the victims of the 1904-1908 Genocide. A day on which as individuals and communities, we can come together in any form and at any place to remember that dark chapter of our history.

I am pleased with the various public lectures, vigils and commemorative events that have been taking place over the past few days. They lend weight to our common understanding of the 28th of May as Genocide Remembrance Day.

[28 May – Call upon affected communities to remain united; ed.]

The date of 28th of May that was chosen is not only symbolic, but it marks the gravity and compassion with which we should approach the Ovaherero and Nama Genocide of 1904-1908. That is a clear testament that, debates in a democracy are welcome. Although we may differ on the interpretation of history, of dates and of events, the National Interest should take precedence.

On the contrary, we should not cause unnecessary divisions when we should unite to advance the interests of our communities and our nation. I therefore call upon all affected communities to remain united in the belief that we are One Namibia, One Nation. We may have gone through different histories under German colonialism and Apartheid occupation. However, I must emphasize that since March 1990, we have a shared Namibian history, which is the foundation for our peace, stability and unity.

I encourage the affected communities and Namibians at large to embrace Genocide Remembrance Day in the full knowledge that it builds on the foundation we have laid to find new common ground on the Joint Declaration with the Government of the Federal Republic of Germany. We should find a degree of comfort in the fact that the German Government has agreed that German troops committed a genocide against the Nama and Ovaherero people of our land.

We should also find a degree of comfort in the fact that the German Government has agreed to offer an apology to the affected communities and the Namibian people in general. We may not agree on the final quantum, but that is part of the complex negotiations we have been engaged in with the German Government since 2013. We must remain committed that as a nation, we shall soldier until the ultimate conclusion is reached.

[AU theme: Justice for Africans; ed.]

Three days ago, to be specific on the 25th of May 2025, we celebrated the 62nd Anniversary for the Founding of the Organization of African Unity (OAU) which is African Union (AU) today, under the theme “Justice for Africans and People of African Descent through Reparations”.

This theme is talking to the engagement between the two governments of Namibia and Germany to conclude the negotiations on Genocide, Apology and Reparations. This theme is talking to the engagement between the two governments of Namibia and Germany to conclude the negotiations on Genocide, Apology and Reparations. This should be in a manner that will be satisfactory, particularly for the directly affected communities.

Genocide Remembrance Day is a day for the unity of the Namibian people. It must be our duty and responsibility that the work of the late Member of Parliament and Ovaherero Paramount Chief Kuaima Riruako (may his soul rest in peace) is not in vain. He is the one who introduced the motion on genocide in Parliament in September 2006, which was unanimously adopted by Parliament.

I also wish to thank the late Dr. Zedekia Ngavirue (may his soul rest in peace), Namibia’s first Special Envoy, who led the negotiations with the German Government on this matter with assertiveness and perseverance. We will continue to build on their stellar work as we commemorate this day, now and in the future.

Director of Ceremonies,
Fellow Namibians,

I will have to emphasize that Genocide Remembrance Day enters our calendar of public holidays to symbolize unity of purpose, inclusivity, and nation building. This Day of memory brings hope, not only to the affected communities, but also to all Namibians who seek to build a future that is grounded in the shared understanding and appreciation of our collective history, including our ongoing efforts in reconciliation and nation-building.

I want to assure the nation that, the 8th Administration of the Government of the Republic of Namibia is dedicated to advance the ideals of unity advocated by our national heroes, Samuel Maharero, Mandume ya Ndemufayo, Hendrik Witbooi, Hosea Kutako, Sam Nujoma and many others. We should therefore, reaffirm our patriotic duty and commitment to fostering an inclusive Namibia, where all citizens regardless of their ethnicity, race, gender, or social class are valued.

Let us stand together as a united nation in remembrance and in paying tribute to the gallant sons and daughters of the Namibian soil who perished during the 1904-1908 Genocide.

In conclusion, as we commemorate this Inaugural Genocide Remembrance Day as Namibians, we should reflect on this journey and we should continue crafting a future together.

As a united nation, we should remember the victims and honour the resilience of the affected communities, and we must acknowledge the significant steps taken to address with “One Heart and One Mind” the historical injustices that were visited upon the people of our land.

Let their legacy of sacrifice and resilience guide us now and in future.
One Namibia, One Nation

I thank you for your attention.”

• Statement by President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah on the occasion of the Genocide Remembrance Day, Parliament Gardens, Windhoek, 28 May 2025, screenshots (as PDF document) from the post on the Facebook page of the Namibian Presidency on 28 May 2025 at 14:47 (last checked in May 2025)

• Video recording of President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah reading her statement (14:26) at Toasis, Aminuis, on NBC’s YouTube channel (last checked in December 2024) on the occasion of the Genocide Remembrance Day at Parliament Gardens, Windhoek, on 28 May 2025, posted on the Facebook page of the Namibian Presidency on 29 May 2025 at 14:45 (last checked in May 2025)

• See also the programme of the official event to mark Genocide Remembrance Day at Parliament Gardens, Windhoek, on 28 May 2025

• See also the article “1908 May 28 – Concentration camps officially dissolved” in the ‘Namibia’s Past’ section of this website