Celebrating the life of Tomas Koneka Iindji

Monday, 23 April 2024, was a dark day for all of us who had known the late Tomas Koneka Iindji. The news was bad and its impact devastating. During the past few days, I have been finding it hard to simply accept that our brother and comrade is no more. To put my thoughts on paper has equally been daunting.

I saw him last on 7 April. We flew together from Ondangwa to Eros. I greeted him and what surprised me was to see him in a wheelchair. We parted upon landing in Windhoek. I was shocked to learn thereafter that he was immediately hospitalised and went into the intensive care unit. And devastating news followed of his untimely death on 23 April.

The late Comrade Iindji was young, barely having come into this world in the 1980s. His death has shocked us. There is an umbrella of sorrow over the nation. A deep cloud of mourning has fallen upon our generation.

I met Tomas many years ago. He was one of the Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL) members in the Oshana Region who we relied on to implement party programmes - especially those pertaining to youth league activities.

In the 2009 Presidential and National Assembly elections, it was the first time in the history of Namibia where those born at independence (1990) became legible voters. And they were many. To convince these 'born-frees' with stories of the liberation struggle was not a walk in the park. They knew nothing about the tales of casspirs or fighting in the bush. They had no passionate recollection of that dark chapter.

We had to plan and act fast. We modified politainment to include a strategy where artists would directly speak at Swapo campaign rallies. We also got born-frees to speak directly to their fellow first-time voters at the same rallies. Their struggle was and is economic empowerment. Political independence was won.

Youthful activism

Because of his consistent leadership and unifying character, Iindji was among the comrades I appointed to the central committee of SPYL and therefore he became a national leader. He later served as secretary for economic affairs of SPYL.

We remember the activism, patriotism and militancy of the late Comrade Iindji. He roared for the economic and national interest of his generation, his country and its people.

He did not have an opportunity to say goodbye to anyone of us, but if he did, he could have said a number of things. He could have said "cry for me when I am no more, but pick up the torch and fight for youth empowerment, rural development and informal settlement development, genuine economic empowerment and for national unity".

The voice of our young nationalist Comrade Indji may be silent now! From where he is, he must be saying to his sisters and brothers “I have left footprints for you to follow”. May all of us follow these good footprints. We call on the youth of our country to emulate the good deeds of the fallen comrade. His activism, vibrancy and militancy; the patriotism and the friendliness towards all Namibians - irrespective of race, tribe or socioeconomic status. We have lost a cadre and a friend of all seasons. Namibia has lost a son who had boundless potential to make a humble contribution to our nation.

On behalf of my family, and on behalf of the former national leadership of SPYL, I wish to convey our heartfelt condolences to Dr Iyaloo Shiimi-Iindji, the widow of the late Iindji, to his children, his dear mother Kuku Gwiitamalo, siblings, relatives, friends and colleagues. Your loss is our loss. Your pain is our pain, and your tears are ours too. May his soul rest in eternal peace.

This contribution has been shortened.

**Dr Elijah Ngurare is the former secretary of SPYL. He writes in his personnel capacity.