Netumbo sold to UN as Namibia's next possible president

President Hage Geingob yesterday presented Swapo vice-president and international relations minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as Namibia’s possible next - and first female - president.

The announcement was made during Geingob’s routine speech at the 78th United Nations General Assembly in New York and comes amid ongoing murmurs about convening an extraordinary congress within Swapo specifically to nominate the party’s presidential candidate for the 2024 elections.

Geingob stoked fires after the Swapo congress which elected Nandi-Ndaitwah as party vice-president last year when he suggested that an extraordinary congress would be called to nominate the party’s candidate for the presidential election.

His remarks have inspired many in the party to call for that congress, with party veteran Jerry Ekandjo amplifying the issue by formally writing to the party leadership. Swapo has ignored his idea so far.

Geingob himself later backtracked on that position and called on party members to rally behind Nandi-Ndaitwah as the party’s sole candidate for state president.

In New York yesterday, Geingob said: “Deputy Prime Minister [Nandi-Ndaitwah] has been selected by the ruling party to be the candidate.

“Very soon, after I leave in a year’s time, she may be the one to come and stand here [at United Nations General Assembly],” he told delegates.

Lift the embargo

He also used the opportunity to call for the lifting of an embargo by the United States on Cuba, saying it was causing hardship for the Cuban people.

“Punitive measures imposed for over half a century on the Republic of Cuba have brought untold hardships that have disenfranchised the Cuban people. The embargo against the Cuban people remains unjust and must therefore be lifted,” the head of state said.

The United States had no justification for Cuba’s continued embargo, Geingob added.

“Namibia appeals to the United States of America to remove the Republic of Cuba from the list of state sponsors of terrorism, as there is no evidence to support such a classification. Selective punitive measures against Zimbabwe and Venezuela must also be lifted, as these measures constitute the 13th greatest obstacle to the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development.”

Geingob also appealed to Morocco to allow the people of the Western Sahara the right to self-determination, saying Morocco in the past supported Namibia’s right to self-determination when it was still under the rule of the then apartheid South African government.

“We regard the Charter-enshrined right to self-determination for all peoples as essential. This rings true for the people of Western Sahara. While our right to self-determination has been upheld, the people of Western Sahara continue to remain under occupation. We recall how Morocco supported to our right to self-determination and now call on them to do the same for the people of Western Sahara,” he said.

Palestinian occupation

Namibia, Geingob said, was pleased that the International Court of Justice submitted an advisory opinion on the legal consequences of Israel’s occupation of Palestine.

“Similarly, the people of Palestine yearn to transition from the inhumane conditions of oppressive rule.

“Namibia is therefore pleased with the decision of the General Assembly to submit to the International Court of Justice a request for an advisory opinion on the legal consequences arising from the ongoing violation by Israel of the right of the Palestinian people to self-determination.”