Vice-President Lucia Witbooi is expected to engage traditional leaders of various communities on Genocide Remembrance Day slated for the 28th of May.
Former President Nangolo Mbumba last year declared 28 May as Genocide Remembrance Day with effect from 28 May 2025.
The day was also declared a public holiday to allow Namibians, especially the affected communities of Ovaherero, Nama, Damara and San, to pay homage to their forefathers who were killed between 1904 and 1908 by the German colonial forces.
A statement availed to NAMPA indicates that the Vice-President intends to engage with the affected in the ||Kharas and Hardap regions on Tuesday at Keetmanshoop, accompanied by Gaob Dawid Casius Gertze, Charles Eiseb and Timotheus Tiboth.
On the same day, Witbooi's envoy, former National Assembly Speaker Professor Peter Katjavivi, assisted by Dr. Michael Tjivikua, Moses !Omeb and Ueriuka Tjikuua, are to visit the Otjozondjupa Region to meet with traditional leaders.
On Tuesday, Kunene Governor Vipuakuje Muharukua will form the VP's envoy, supported by John Kasaona and Naledi |Uiras, to meet with traditional leaders in Khorixas.
Governor Muharukua and the delegation will then meet with traditional leaders at Opuwo on Wednesday.
Still on Wednesday, Vice-President Witbooi will go to Gobabis in the Omaheke Region, where she will be accompanied by Freddy Ueriurika Nguvauva and Willem Abuse as her supporting staff.
Also on Wednesday, Professor Katjavivi, with the support of Dr. Tjivikua and !Omeb, will then head to Erongo to meet the affected community leaders in Omaruru.
The dates for the |Khomas regional engagements, as well as the venues for all meetings in each region, are yet to be announced.
Each traditional leader is requested to be accompanied by two councillors or advisors and is also urged to contact the vice president's supporting staff as per their respective regions.
Former Member of Parliament Usutuaije Maamberua in 2016 tabled a motion for a genocide remembrance day.
His reason at the time was that it was on this day that the commander of the colonial German Schutztruppe ordered the formal closure of all Ovaherero and Nama concentration camps in then German South West Africa, now Namibia.