Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare has said freedom fighters will always be praised for their dedication to liberating Namibia from the yoke of colonialism, which in turn brought various benefits for the country's people and visitors alike.

Ngurare said this during the renaming of a Swapo Party Branch centre in Oshana Region's Amutanga village to Amutenya Ashipala, a liberation icon who died during the liberation struggle.

Speaking to those who gathered at the event to witness the shrine built in Ashipala's honour, the Prime Minister lauded him for mobilising assistance for Swapo during the war against apartheid South Africa.

"On many occasions, they passed on military intelligence to PLAN and conducted successful military attacks on the Oshakati and Ongwediva military bases and the notorious Oniimwandi torture centre in Oshakati. This has been Comrade Ashipala's routine intelligence network all the time when he was on holiday from CDM. He provided PLAN combatants with intelligence, food, transport, clothing and other basic necessities." 

Dr. Ngurare commended the Swapo Party members who thought of the gesture, which will preserve history for future generations. 

Ashipala, a renowned PLAN combatant, frequently encountered difficulties with the apartheid forces due to his efforts to liberate Namibia. 

Born in 1955, his last arrest was in July 1985 after he was found in possession of various firearms and taken to the notorious Outapi military jail before being transferred to Oniimwandi military base.  

He was last seen alive on the 1st of August 1985, and the whereabouts of his remains have not been disclosed by the apartheid forces, who also instructed the family to not hold any memorial vigils in his remembrance.