Minister of Mines and Energy Tom Alweendo has lauded the late President Hage Geingob’s leadership, especially his focus on economic development.
Alweendo said Geingob had a creative economic mind, especially in turbulent times, as he firmly believed in Namibia’s ability to be prosperous.
“When our economic potential looked bleak, he believed that with creativity, the economy has the ability to do better,” he said.
“He charged us to reimage ourselves and chart a brighter future for this and the next generation. Today we are on the verge of prosperity. We have witnessed exciting economic developments in the country, of which he was the main champion.
“The question for us is again this: in this year of expectations, are we willing to take over where President Geingob left off and play our respective parts to deliver prosperity to the Namibian citizens? Indeed, we have lost an icon; we have lost a mentor; we have lost a legend. Our hearts ache for the loss of one of our brightest lights. And we now must learn how to live without Hage,” he added.
Alweendo made these remarks while paying tribute to Geingob who passed on at the age of 82 on Sunday early morning.
Geingob was towards the end of his second tenure, with 13 months to go before the next President was to take over in March 2025.
In the interim, Nangolo Mbumba took over the reins as Head of State to finish Geingob’s tenure.
Mbumba was the Vice President before ascending to the highest office in the land.
“I want to remember President Geingob for two important attributes, which I hope will not disappear with his tragic demise,” Aleendo said.
Alweendo, who says he first met Geingob in 1989 when he returned from exile, a year when first elections were held to mark Namibia’s independence, further reminisced that the late President had strongly believed in the importance of building a Namibia where all its inhabitants, regardless of their social status or any other characteristic, feel a sense of belonging.
Upon meeting, the Minister said his first impression was, “here there is a man on a mission. A man determined to achieve something. Determined, against all odds, to make his mark on the Namibian political landscape.”
He further added that Geingob had dreamt of a country where “nationhood as Namibians is celebrated, and it counts above anything else. Hence his idea of a Namibian House, where no one feels left out. We remember how he extolled the virtues of inclusiveness. His mantra was: exclusion spells conflict, while inclusion spells harmony.”
“He departed when his dream of a Namibian House was incomplete. And now the question, especially for us as national political leaders, is this: what are we prepared to do to realise the incomplete dream of a Namibian House? It is my wish and hope that we will take up the mantle of leadership to ensure that the dream is not deferred indefinitely,” stated Alweendo as he paid condolences to Geingob’s widow and the family.
