Speaking at the state funeral of the liberation icon Ida Jimmy-!Ha-Eiros today, President Nangolo Mbumba has hailed the late struggle stalwart as an unyielding figure who dedicated her life to the liberation and freedom of her country.
Jimmy-!Ha-Eiros died on April 3 at the age of 79.
Mourners from all walks of life paid their last respects at Farm Snip River Cemetery, where Jimmy-!Ha-Eiros was buried next to her late husband, Werner !Ha-Eirob.
Among those attending the funeral were First Lady Sustjie Mbumba, former First Lady Monica Geingos, Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, Deputy Speaker of Parliament Loide Kasingo, ministers, dignitaries, and communities from within and beyond the ||Kharas Region.
As a heroine, Jimmy-!Ha-Eiros was honoured with a 13-gun salute.
"Comrade Ida Jimmy leaves behind a record that cannot be questioned and is very difficult to match. She was such an imposing figure, with deep roots in our struggle for political and economic emancipation. She was imprisoned and tortured, but nothing could stop her fight for an independent Namibia. Our country is free today because of the profound personal sacrifices made by Comrade Ida Jimmy. Indeed, Comrade Jimmy was a leader and a liberator of the Namibian people; thus, to lose her is a great loss to all of us, to all Namibians. Her life journey is a testament to the unbreakable human spirit; hence, her revolutionary legacy will continue to inspire generations to come," said Mbumba.
The President urged the children and family members of the late Jimmy-!Ha-Eiros to uphold, safeguard, and embody the noble revolutionary legacy of the liberation struggle icon.
"Be of good courage; be strong. Know that the government and the people of Namibia stand in solidarity in this darkest hour to share your loss and comfort you. Farewell to our great freedom fighter from the south, and today we are truly in the south. And she makes sure that we come here; she makes sure that whatever the road, we will be here; she makes sure that this unique place in our land shows, but we are here. Politicians are here, fighters are here, friends are here, and the enemy will also hear that she is here and her people are here. So we say farewell to our iconic heroine for the liberation, to a wonderful mother, to a wonderful sister, and to a unique compatriot. Go well, daughter of the Namibian soil; rest softly. May the Almighty God grant your great should eternal rest and peace."
The Head of State presented items, including the Namibian flag, the Africa Women in the Liberation Struggle Award, and a recognition from Cuban revolutionary leader President Commandante Fidel Castro to Jimmy !Ha-Eiros's son, Michael Jimmy, in honour of his late mother's pivotal role in the liberation struggle.