Geingos urges continuation of Pohamba’s work

Former first lady Monica Geingos has called for the completion of the late Penehupifo Pohamba’s final initiative to distribute medical equipment and supplies to communities in need.

Speaking on behalf of Namibia’s former first ladies at a memorial service on Saturday at Parliament Gardens in Windhoek, Geingos said carrying the initiative forward would ensure Pohamba’s commitment to improving lives continued beyond her death.

She remembered Namibia’s second first lady as a woman of compassion, strength and integrity whose life was devoted to serving others, particularly vulnerable communities.

Geingos highlighted Pohamba’s contribution to maternal and child health, as well as her role in establishing the Office of the First Lady.

She said their relationship predated Pohamba’s time at State House, which began in 2005, and recalled the guidance she received during one of the biggest transitions of her own life.

“She didn't make it hard. She made it easy. She genuinely wanted me to succeed,” Geingos said.

“She sat with me and drew a detailed map. Which battles are worth fighting and which ones will only consume your energy.”

Geingos also recalled Pohamba’s influence in creating a climate of trust that encouraged late president Hage Geingob to speak publicly about his prostate cancer diagnosis in 2013, helping raise awareness and encouraging men to seek testing.

She encouraged former president Hifikepunye Pohamba to allow himself space to grieve and urged the children to preserve the unity their mother valued deeply.

Many lives touched

Opposition leader McHenry Venaani also paid an emotional tribute, saying the loss reminded Namibians of the humanity they shared across political divides.

“There are moments in life as a nation where we are reminded that regardless of our political differences, our positions and place in society, we are all bound by the same human experience,” he said.

Reflecting on losing his mother at a young age, Venaani expressed concern about the loneliness the former president would face without his wife.

He said political leaders sometimes avoided expressing their affection for one another because of their differences before addressing Pohamba directly.

“Tate Pohamba, I love you dearly. I love you like a son should love a father. Mee Penehupifo, I mourn you dearly, as a son should mourn their mother.”

Venaani said the former first lady had touched many Namibians’ lives in ways both seen and unseen and had advocated for women’s dignity and welfare.

He remembered her as warm, elegant and dignified, saying her continued service at a local clinic demonstrated her quiet strength.

“She exemplified what I would call power in silence,” he said. “She did not need to be loud to make an impression.

“Her character speaks louder than her title.”