President Hage Geingob and leader of the official opposition, McHenry Venaani, have both expressed shock and sadness over the death of former Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA) leader Katuutire Kaura.

Kaura died during the early hours of Sunday, aged 81.

Geingob, through his official Twitter page, extended his condolences to Kaura’s immediate family.

‘I have learned with sadness about the passing of Hon. Katuutire Kaura. During this hour of grief, I wish to convey sincere condolences to his wife Vicky, the children, the Kaura and Mbuende families. May his soul rest in peace,’ he said.

Similarly, Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) president Venaani expressed shock and sadness over Kaura’s death through his official Twitter page on Sunday morning.

“We commiserate with his dear wife Vicky and children in this dark hour. I remember a political teacher, a legislator, a farmer, an encyclopedia and an academic. I pause and remember the journey [we travelled together],” Venaani said.

In a separate statement issued by the PDM, the movement remembers Kaura as its servant of decades.

“He was also a member of Namibia’s Constituent Assembly and served as a member of the National Assembly from 1990 to 2015, thus bringing a legislative career spanning over two and a half decades to a close,” Venaani said in the statement.

“May the honourable Kaura’s soul rest in everlasting peace,” Venaani added.

Kaura became DTA (now PDM) president in 1998, replacing the exiled Mishake Muyongo; a position he held until 2013, when he lost to Venaani at DTA’s hotly contested intra-party congress.

Kaura later joined the ruling Swapo Party in 2017 and served as special advisor to then Kunene Governor, the late Kazetjindire Muharukua, and later her successor, Marius Sheya.

Source: The Namibian Press Agency