Anton Lubowski and other SWAPO veterans laid to final rest on Heroes Acre

THE Heroes Acre in Windhoek was a hive of activity yesterday when hundreds of people came to witness the reburial of three liberation war icons - Peter Mweshihange, Moses //Garoeb and Anton Lubowski.
Municipal buses ferried people from different areas of Windhoek as early as 07h00 to attend the event that was addressed by President Hage Geingob and his Zambian counterpart Edgar Lungu, who was the guest of honour.

Other dignitaries present were First Lady Monica Geingos, vice president Nickey Iyambo, Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, deputy prime minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Khomas governor Laura McLeod-Katjirua and Speaker of the National Assembly Peter Katjavivi.

The day kicked off with a prayer by reverend Nangula Kathindi and a performance by the military brass band.
Mweshihange's daughter Keni said her father made the ultimate sacrifice and that he always told them that whatever they would be doing in life should be done with pride. He said even if they were to become street sweepers, they should sweep well, so that the angels in heaven could pause and say 'here lived a great sweeper who did his job well'.

“So today, we celebrate you because you swept the streets of the liberation struggle so well that the angels in heaven paused to say, here lies a great street sweeper who did his job well,” said Keni.

A //Garoeb family spokesperson, Nikiro, said the family is honoured that after 17 years since the burial of their father, they can say now that he is truly at peace.

“Our family was torn apart after he passed on but now the family has buried the hatchet and is united again. The peace that he was fighting for has truly prevailed,” she said.

Speaking on the sidelines of the event, Gabby Lubowski said she was delighted that her husband has been accorded such an ostentatious funeral by the government.

“He always wanted to be buried at Katutura Cemetery. It was his way of bridging the divide between whites and blacks as well as the bridge between the rich and the poor,” she said.

Geingob honoured the fallen heroes, saying they paid the ultimate price, bringing peace to the country.

“They crossed many rivers of blood so we can be a free nation today. It is because of their sacrifices that we can dream of prosperity and not fear. They sacrificed their individual ambitions for us. We honour them,” said Geingob.

A solemn silence covered the cemetery when the three caskets were lowered into the graves accompanied by a 17-gun salute.
Geingob and the immediate families laid their wreaths, with the widow of Lubowski crying openly as she laid her wreath. (The Namibian, Windhoek)