Ageist claims about Netumbo ‘ridiculous’

Swapo vice-president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s campaign team says talks that she is too old to lead the country are misplaced, adding that she should rather be judged on her capabilities than her age. If she manages to garner the most votes at this year’s presidential polls, Nandi-Ndaitwah will be 72 by the time she is elected into office. Her campaign manager, Dr Kaire Mbuende, described the claims about her age as the “most ridiculous assertion ever put forth”. He said: “She is very healthy and exercises every day. She is even fitter than many of the younger people. What should be considered is her capabilities and moral value. I think a lot of criticism is misplaced".Mbuende, a former ambassador, further told Namibian Sun: “They are afraid of what she stands for - she is an anti-corruption crusader and those against her are motivated by self-interest".He also pointed out that the septuagenarian is no stranger to the affairs and challenges facing the youth because she was young once and is a founding member of the Swapo Party Youth League (SPYL), hence “she knows how to be young”. Second-oldestSwapo has consistently found itself on the defensive, facing criticism that its leaders are too old and ineffective. Critics have consistently argued that the current leadership, often referred to as ‘pensioners’, lack the energy needed for the job and would sleep on duty. A look at the country’s history, as far as age is concerned, indicates that Nandi-Ndaitwah will be the second-oldest person to lead the country - if she fends off competition at the November polls. Namibia’s first leader Sam Nujoma was 60 when he became president in 1990. His successor, Hifikepunye Pohamba, was 70 when he took over as president in 2005, while the late Hage Geingob was 73 when he was first elected. But for Mbuende, age is just a number, because it takes years for political leaders to reach the top. “Coming to the top positions requires many years of consistent work. Look at scientific discoveries, for example: You will see it takes very long for experienced people to make a breakthrough. Now, with political leaders, they could be pushed up through deliberate effort, but in most cases, it requires many years to come to the top.”Political credentials Asked how Nandi-Ndaitwah will bridge the generational gap between the youth and the older generation, Mbuende reiterated that she is well in sync with the needs of young people and that she has a track record of grooming young people. According to him, her past experience as SPYL leader puts her in an excellent position to work with the youth. “We are founders of SPYL, we know what it is to be young. As minister of international relations, she made many young people ambassadors, but most importantly, it is not a competition of young and old. When you have 70% of the population being young, you have to be deliberate in making sure they are included in decision-making positions,” he said. A member of the Swapo central committee from 1976 to 1986 and president of the Namibian National Women&#039;s Organisation (NANAWO) from 1991 to 1994, Nandi-Ndaitwah was also a mobiliser for the party in the early 1970s. According to Mbuende, she brings these skills to the table to empower the youth and to improve the lives of Namibian people. “We are saying: No handouts for the youth. [Instead], we want to create jobs and transform the economy to enable the youth to lead us. Namibia has always been ready for young leaders,” Mbuende said.

Ageist claims about Netumbo ‘ridiculous’

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-18

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Ageist claims about Netumbo ‘ridiculous’

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Namibian Sun 2025-06-18

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