WINDHOEK – President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah delivered a keynote address during a candlelight remembrance ceremony for Namibia’s Founding President, Dr Sam Nujoma, and the late Third President, Dr Hage Geingob, according to a statement by the Namibian Presidency.
Speaking at the event, President Nandi-Ndaitwah said February has become a month of national reflection, dedicated to remembering leaders who shaped Namibia’s liberation, reconstruction, and nation-building since independence on 21 March 1990.
She paid tribute to Dr Nujoma’s leadership of SWAPO as a liberation movement, describing it as marked by “dedication, clarity of purpose, and an unwavering belief that Namibia would one day be free.” She noted that he inspired generations to join the struggle for freedom and remained committed to independence after being elected as the first President of SWAPO on 19 April 1960. “Dr Nujoma would be remembered by both present and future generations, and may his soul rest in eternal peace and glory,” she said.
On President Geingob, who passed away on 4 February 2024, Nandi-Ndaitwah recalled his pivotal role in Namibia’s liberation and governance. She noted that he represented SWAPO in the United States and the Americas, advocating Namibia’s cause at the United Nations and other international forums, and later headed the United Nations Institute for Namibia in Lusaka, Zambia, training Namibians for leadership roles.
President Geingob chaired the Constituent Assembly that drafted Namibia’s Constitution at independence and became the country’s first Prime Minister. “It is therefore fitting that he is often referred to as the Father of the Namibian Constitution,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said. She added that he later served as the country’s Third President from 21 March 2015, strengthening governance, national unity, peace, stability, and socio-economic development.
“Both leaders, each in his own time, left an indelible mark on Namibia’s history. Dr Nujoma laid the foundation of freedom and sovereignty, while President Geingob strengthened that foundation through institution-building and a commitment to unity and social progress,” she said.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah said both leaders championed nation-building and worked to foster an inclusive society free from tribalism, division, and corruption. She urged Namibians to preserve their legacies and build a society where every citizen enjoys dignity, justice, and equal opportunities.
She concluded: “May their souls continue to rest in peace and eternal glory.”
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