By John K WaDisho
Windhoek | Aug. 15 — President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has posthumously conferred the Honour of National Hero and granted a State Funeral to the late Lieutenant General (Retired) Salomon Hawala, despite having earlier announced a suspension of such funerals.
Hawala, born 17 August 1935 and passing 11 August 2025, will be laid to rest on 6 September in Ongwediva, Oshana Region. The Presidency praised his “distinguished military service, steadfast leadership, and unwavering dedication” to Namibia’s liberation and nation-building.
In March 2025, Nandi-Ndaitwah declared a halt to all state funerals until a new national honours policy was finalised, citing the need to cut ceremonial costs. However, her statement included a clause allowing presidential discretion for “cases of extraordinary national significance.”
Hawala’s recognition is not the first exception. Official records indicate at least two state funerals have been held since the suspension — in April and June 2025.
This makes Hawala’s the third under the supposed freeze, fuelling public debate about whether the suspension is symbolic rather than substantive.
Supporters argue that Hawala’s liberation credentials fully justify the exception. Critics counter that repeated exemptions undermine fiscal discipline and risk turning the suspension into a political slogan.
As tributes pour in, the tension between policy promise and political practice lingers. Without clearer guidelines on when exceptions apply, the line between rare honour and routine exception may remain blurred.
For now, the nation will watch Ongwediva, where a hero will be honoured — and a presidency will be quietly judged- Namibia Daily News
