Late former Deputy Minister of Labour and Social Welfare and trade unionist, Alphaus Vehonga Muheua, was laid to rest at Otjongundu in the Daures Constituency of the Erongo Region on Saturday.
The official funeral was attended by hundreds of mourners, including President Hage Geingob and the First lady Monica Geingos.
In his message of condolences, Geingob described the late Muheua as somebody who lived life well, during which he ran his race with courage and valour and therefore, the impact of his presence on earth will reverberate through the ages.
“The inhumane conditions exacted on the Namibian people by a brutal and heartless Apartheid regime, pulled at the heart of the young Alphaus and drove him towards engaging in political activities in support of the struggle for Namibia’s liberation.
Due to his sterling efforts and work ethic while in the unions, he became the Vice President of the National Union of Namibian Workers (NUNW) before becoming the organisation’s president,” Geingob noted.
Following this position, Muheua was appointed as Deputy Director of Labour Relations and Human Resources under the Public Service Commission and then later appointed as Deputy Minister of Labour, a position in which he served until 2018.
Founding President Sam Nujoma in his message expressed that his family, as well as the SWAPO Party, have indeed lost a dedicated unionist and committed patriotic leader who never wavered.
“For this reason, he will be remembered by the current and future generations of Namibians for his legacy of hard work and perseverance. His departure reminds us that we should continue to cherish our hard-won peace and embrace unity of purpose and action for nation building,” Nujoma said.
Members of the Namibian Defence Force at the funeral honoured the late Muheua with a six-gun salute for his bravery and selfless contribution towards the independence struggle.
Muheua died in a Swakopmund hospital on 16 February 2022 due to COVID-19 at the age of 65.
He is survived by his wife Elizabeth and two children and one grandchild.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency
