EDITORIAL: Four months in - sparks of hope and action
Today marks exactly four months since President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah took the reins of a nation weighed down by fatigue, frustration, and fading hope. Her arrival was met with anticipation, but also with skepticism - understandably so. Namibia has seen too many leaders promise the moon and deliver dust.
Her early months have not been without turbulence. From controversial appointments - such as that of Mac Hengari, who was reportedly under investigation for rape even before his vetting - to the lingering perception of lofty promises with little follow-through, the journey has been far from smooth.
Yet, amid the noise, there are signs that something is shifting.
Take the renewed scrutiny of our ailing public enterprises. Institutions like Namcor, Nida, and Meatco, once seen as untouchable fiefdoms, are now in the crosshairs of accountability. Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare’s public demand for answers - triggered by media reports - marks a refreshing break from the past culture of silence and denial.
For once, we have a leadership that doesn’t treat the media as an enemy, but as a partner in the fight for transparency. That, in itself, is a quiet revolution.
And then there was last week’s civil servants’ address. In tone, timing and substance, it was one of the president’s most powerful moments yet. For decades, the public service has been a refuge for complacency, inefficiency, and a "that’s not my job" mentality
The president struck the right chords. Analysts agree. But now comes the real test - the shift from rhetoric to results.
For this presidency to matter - for it to rewrite Namibia’s story - it must put meat on the bones of these early intentions. Nandi-Ndaitwah is not just Namibia’s first female president. She is, in many ways, our last hope.
Her early months have not been without turbulence. From controversial appointments - such as that of Mac Hengari, who was reportedly under investigation for rape even before his vetting - to the lingering perception of lofty promises with little follow-through, the journey has been far from smooth.
Yet, amid the noise, there are signs that something is shifting.
Take the renewed scrutiny of our ailing public enterprises. Institutions like Namcor, Nida, and Meatco, once seen as untouchable fiefdoms, are now in the crosshairs of accountability. Prime Minister Elijah Ngurare’s public demand for answers - triggered by media reports - marks a refreshing break from the past culture of silence and denial.
For once, we have a leadership that doesn’t treat the media as an enemy, but as a partner in the fight for transparency. That, in itself, is a quiet revolution.
And then there was last week’s civil servants’ address. In tone, timing and substance, it was one of the president’s most powerful moments yet. For decades, the public service has been a refuge for complacency, inefficiency, and a "that’s not my job" mentality
The president struck the right chords. Analysts agree. But now comes the real test - the shift from rhetoric to results.
For this presidency to matter - for it to rewrite Namibia’s story - it must put meat on the bones of these early intentions. Nandi-Ndaitwah is not just Namibia’s first female president. She is, in many ways, our last hope.
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