Namibia to honour liberation veterans with national awards Tuesday
Namibia will on Tuesday confer National Honours on veterans of the country’s Liberation Struggle, in a major ceremony aimed at recognising those who contributed to the country’s struggle for independence.
President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah will confer the honours on August 25 at the Independence Stadium in Windhoek, the Office of the President said in a statement issued ahead of the ceremony.
The Presidency said the “list of beneficiaries has now been finalised” and that officials had begun contacting beneficiaries individually across all 14 regions.
“The Office of the President hereby confirms that the telephone contacts made were duly executed from our Office,” the statement said, stressing that the calls were made “solely to ensure timely communication to the beneficiaries.”
The beneficiaries are being informed in preparation for their participation in the investiture ceremony, which is expected to bring veterans from different parts of Namibia to the capital.
The Presidency urged beneficiaries who intend to attend the ceremony “to arrive on Monday, 24 August 2026, and depart back on Thursday, 27 August 2026.”
The government will facilitate key logistics for the veterans, including “accommodation, meals and transport in Windhoek,” according to the statement.
Four arrival points have been designated for beneficiaries travelling to Windhoek: Hakahana Service Station in Katutura; Total Services Station near TransNamib; Engine Service Station on Peter Nanyemba Road, formerly Monte Christo Road; and the Khomas Regional Council Offices.
“From the arrival points, beneficiaries will be transported to their accommodation facilities,” the Presidency said.
The honours ceremony will take place under Article 32(3)(h) of the Constitution of the Republic of Namibia, which provides the constitutional basis for the President’s conferment of national honours.
The ceremony places Namibia’s liberation veterans at the centre of a national recognition programme, decades after the country gained independence.
The Office of the President said the process of contacting beneficiaries began on Thursday, August 20, with designated officials making calls to beneficiaries across the country.
The officials assigned to the exercise include Martha T. Martin, Fillemon Heita, Opotuli Kaute, Julia Kaulya, Patel Kooper, Olivia Ngwada, Maria Iiyambo and Ester Kambangula, alongside the Office of the President’s landline.
Tuesday’s investiture at Independence Stadium is expected to provide a major national platform for recognising veterans of Namibia’s Liberation Struggle and their contribution to the country’s independence.
The ceremony also comes as Namibia continues to preserve and commemorate the history of its liberation struggle, with veterans playing a central role in the country’s national historical narrative.
