Hilarius Hamutenya
Fifteen thousand people have been invited to the 34th Heroes Day commemoration that will be held at Omuthiya in the Oshikoto Region on 26 August.
The day will be commemorated under the theme “Honouring our Martyrs” (Heroes and Heroines).
This was confirmed by Penda yaNdakolo, the Oshikoto regional governor.
“The town is more than ready. We have teams to ensure that the event goes smoothly in terms of logistics, safety and security, protocol and entertainment,” he said.
YaNdakolo added that 120 former freedom fighters have also confirmed their attendance.
He said the national event is open to all political parties.
“All party delegates are welcome and invited to attend. There is no need to send a special invitation to individual leaders,” he said.
He also mentioned that they have received a lot of donations for the event’s hosting.
“We received chickens, goats, sheep and cattle that have been delivered to my office already,” he said.
YaNdakolo revealed that the residents of Omuthiya initiated a cleaning campaign last week.
“People from Omuthiya are willing to volunteer in any activities during the event. Some traditional leaders have also sent people to come and help with the organisation of the event,” said YaNdakolo.
He added that vendors are invited to sell their products, including food and drinks, during the event.
“It is a good time to do business since the town will be full of people from different regions. For those at an open market, it’s better for them to remain where they are because people would go and support their businesses,” he said.
Every year, Heroes Day is commemorated to honour and reflect on the bravery of the heroes and heroines of the liberation struggle, which started on 26 August 1966 at Omugulugwombashe and paved the way for sovereignty and independence.
The day is held in the regions on a rotational basis and last year’s commemoration was held in Windhoek.
