• By Chollastic Tjehiua

In a historic and emotionally charged moment, Namibia officially observed its first Genocide Remembrance Day, honoring the lives of more than 100,000 Ovaherero and Nama people who were systematically exterminated by the German colonial regime between 1904 and 1908.

According to President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah in official address at the commemoration, the declaration of this national holiday marks a turning point in Namibia’s journey toward healing, historical reckoning, and justice. 

This day, the president stressed “will now serve as an annual opportunity to mourn, reflect, and reaffirm the country’s commitment to truth, recognition, and reparative justice.” Between 1904 and 1908, during German colonial rule in the then German South West Africa, the Ovaherero and Nama people rebelled against oppressive policies and land dispossession.

 In response, German General Lothar von Trotha issued an extermination order against the Ovaherero in 1904, later extending it to the Nama.  Tens of thousands died through mass killings, forced displacement, and concentration camps, notably on Shark Island, where horrific conditions led to many deaths. Research has it that, between 50% and 80% of the country’s population was massacred. 

Meanwhile, Nandi-Ndaitwah stressed that Namibia shall never forget the emotional, psychological, economic and cultural scars which remain etched in the affected communities and the broader fabric of our nation. The president emphasised that the declaration of the Genocide Remembrance Day was the result of democratic processes and national consensus, not a unilateral decision.

“Our journey to reach this stage of commemoration, marks a turning point in dealing with our shared colonial past as Namibians. We would not be here today without the collective resolve of the affected communities and the Namibian people at large,” said Nandi-Ndaitwah. 

The head of State added that, although Germany has acknowledged the genocide and issued an apology, negotiations over reparations remain unresolved.

“We may not agree on the final quantum, but that is part of the complex negotiations we have been engaged in with the German Government since 2013. We must remain committed. As a nation, we shall soldier on until the ultimate conclusion is reached,” she noted.

Her remarks were echoed by Chief Immanuel |Gaseb, chairperson of the Council of Traditional Leaders, who expressed gratitude for the national recognition of the genocide.

“We thank the Namibian government and everyone involved in the proclamation of this day. It means a lot to the people whose ancestors suffered,” said |Gaseb. Rirua Komeheke, a descendant of the genocide survivors, told Confidente that the genocide was an act of calculated extermination.

“When the Germans realized they could not win the war decisively, they resorted to genocide. They wanted our land and used annihilation as a strategy. We lost not just lives, but our heritage, dignity, and economic freedom,”Komeheke explained.