Ondjiva- The equestrian statue of King Mandume Ya Ndemufaho, sovereign of Oukwanhama (1911-1917), was inaugurated this Wednesday by the Minister of Defence and Veteran of the Motherland, João Ernesto dos Santos, in Cunene province.
The designer, Francisco Manuel said that the statue is five meters high and four meters long, and it is located in the central square of Ondjiva city, where the sovereign set his Ombala (Royal Palace).
He explained that the piece was made of bronze and represents the king in black clothes and a hat, mounted on a patini horse, holding a rifle in his right hand.
The rifle symbolises guerrilla warfare against the Portuguese colonist, while the horse, with its four legs resting, symbolises territorial possession and his guard dog sitting on his feet, indicating the sign of submission.
The governor of Cunene, Gerdina Didalelwa, said that the equestrian statue is the result of a decision taken several years ago, whose initiative aims at the appreciation and dissemination of the figure of Mandume.
