Utoni: Dad sent us to war like everyone else
Labour minister Utoni Nujoma, son of the late founding president Sam Nujoma, says he and his brothers, the late John Ndeshipanda and Sakaria Nefungo, did not receive any special treatment from their father, who sent them to the front lines of the war during the liberation struggle.
Speaking at his father’s memorial service in Windhoek on Tuesday, Utoni said his father believed that all Namibians had a duty to fight for their country’s freedom, including his children.
"We are grateful that we did not receive any special treatment compared to other children, both at home and in exile,” he said at the service. “Our journey into exile was like that of many others who left to fight for freedom."
Looking back, he recounted: "One night, under a rising moon, we packed our bags with enough canned food and bread for the trek through Angola to Zambia.”
“We were accompanied by the late ‘Mitiri’ John Ya Otto, who was Swapo’s internal secretary general at the time, alongside the late comrade David Meroro, Swapo’s national chairman, and the then acting president of Swapo inside the country, the late comrade Nathaniel Maxuilili, as well as others such as the late Levi Nganjone," he remembered.
"After navigating multiple checkpoints and facing constant danger, our hearts pounding, we finally reached the barbed wire fence. With a deep breath and without looking back, we crossed into Angola to join our father and the national liberation struggle in exile,” said Utoni, who is 72. Nujoma passed away on 8 February at the age of 95.
Our father, our commander
According to Utoni, the dangerous trek exemplifies the values his father instilled in his family – fairness, commitment to greater causes and an unwavering dedication to Namibia’s liberation and development.
"We were not insulated from the possibility of death during the struggle. To us, our father was a commander. We followed his instructions and relied on his wisdom, shaped by decades of leadership. More importantly, he taught us respect for elders and solidarity with fellow human beings.”
Utoni left Namibia in 1974 to join Swapo’s liberation struggle. "I received military training and joined the military front like many of my comrades, whose sole purpose was to liberate Namibia from the racist apartheid South African regime. I later pursued political science in Cuba, law at the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom, and a master of law degree at Lund University in Sweden. After returning, I worked in government until I was appointed minister," he said.
Inspiration for fellow combatants
Former army general Martin Shalli recalled selecting Utoni for a mission to attack Okatope base in 1979, describing him as a "good warrior."
"Before that mission, I chose comrade Utoni because he was a combat medic. We trained together in Angola, though I was trained differently. I arrived with comrades Mburunganga and Helao Nafidi. We were at the north-eastern front when Charles ‘Ho Chi Minh’ Namoloh asked me, ‘Why did you select the president’s son?’ I replied, ‘He’s a soldier like me and I needed a good combat medic.’ Besides, I wanted to say that, at one point, I commanded the son of a president," Shalli said with a smile.
"Fortunately, I didn’t have to bring back a body; I brought Utoni back alive. Then, in February 1983, I was entrusted with Nefungo, the youngest of the brothers. I was instructed, ‘Take this boy with you and send him to Namibia. I don’t want to hear of him fighting here; he must fight in Namibia. And I want a progress report every six months.’ A year later, I withdrew him and redeployed him to special units, where he operated until after independence,” the retired general recalled.
Shalli added that the Nujoma sons' participation in the war was a morale booster for fellow combatants.
"Other leaders around the world didn’t send their children to war. Take the late Jonas Savimbi, for example – I never saw a picture of his son on the battlefield, let alone commanding troops. He only sent others to fight. But with [Nujoma], it was different. And when I look at [Utoni] today, I remain proud,” he said.
- [email protected]
Speaking at his father’s memorial service in Windhoek on Tuesday, Utoni said his father believed that all Namibians had a duty to fight for their country’s freedom, including his children.
"We are grateful that we did not receive any special treatment compared to other children, both at home and in exile,” he said at the service. “Our journey into exile was like that of many others who left to fight for freedom."
Looking back, he recounted: "One night, under a rising moon, we packed our bags with enough canned food and bread for the trek through Angola to Zambia.”
“We were accompanied by the late ‘Mitiri’ John Ya Otto, who was Swapo’s internal secretary general at the time, alongside the late comrade David Meroro, Swapo’s national chairman, and the then acting president of Swapo inside the country, the late comrade Nathaniel Maxuilili, as well as others such as the late Levi Nganjone," he remembered.
"After navigating multiple checkpoints and facing constant danger, our hearts pounding, we finally reached the barbed wire fence. With a deep breath and without looking back, we crossed into Angola to join our father and the national liberation struggle in exile,” said Utoni, who is 72. Nujoma passed away on 8 February at the age of 95.
Our father, our commander
According to Utoni, the dangerous trek exemplifies the values his father instilled in his family – fairness, commitment to greater causes and an unwavering dedication to Namibia’s liberation and development.
"We were not insulated from the possibility of death during the struggle. To us, our father was a commander. We followed his instructions and relied on his wisdom, shaped by decades of leadership. More importantly, he taught us respect for elders and solidarity with fellow human beings.”
Utoni left Namibia in 1974 to join Swapo’s liberation struggle. "I received military training and joined the military front like many of my comrades, whose sole purpose was to liberate Namibia from the racist apartheid South African regime. I later pursued political science in Cuba, law at the University of Warwick in the United Kingdom, and a master of law degree at Lund University in Sweden. After returning, I worked in government until I was appointed minister," he said.
Inspiration for fellow combatants
Former army general Martin Shalli recalled selecting Utoni for a mission to attack Okatope base in 1979, describing him as a "good warrior."
"Before that mission, I chose comrade Utoni because he was a combat medic. We trained together in Angola, though I was trained differently. I arrived with comrades Mburunganga and Helao Nafidi. We were at the north-eastern front when Charles ‘Ho Chi Minh’ Namoloh asked me, ‘Why did you select the president’s son?’ I replied, ‘He’s a soldier like me and I needed a good combat medic.’ Besides, I wanted to say that, at one point, I commanded the son of a president," Shalli said with a smile.
"Fortunately, I didn’t have to bring back a body; I brought Utoni back alive. Then, in February 1983, I was entrusted with Nefungo, the youngest of the brothers. I was instructed, ‘Take this boy with you and send him to Namibia. I don’t want to hear of him fighting here; he must fight in Namibia. And I want a progress report every six months.’ A year later, I withdrew him and redeployed him to special units, where he operated until after independence,” the retired general recalled.
Shalli added that the Nujoma sons' participation in the war was a morale booster for fellow combatants.
"Other leaders around the world didn’t send their children to war. Take the late Jonas Savimbi, for example – I never saw a picture of his son on the battlefield, let alone commanding troops. He only sent others to fight. But with [Nujoma], it was different. And when I look at [Utoni] today, I remain proud,” he said.
- [email protected]
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article