EDITORIAL: Is Luvindao a bold appointment or a risky gamble?

The appointment of Esperance Luvindao as minister of health has ignited a firestorm. Social media is ablaze with questions, outrage and speculation over whether President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah made a bold decision for the future or is taking a reckless political experiment.

So intense is the debate that former First Lady Monica Geingos had to publicly distance herself from claims that she played a role in securing the appointment for her protégé. The real issue is whether Luvindao is remotely qualified to run a ministry that is already on life support.

Let's be clear: this is not a ministry for amateurs. Hospitals are falling apart, medical supply chains are broken and corruption runs through the system like a cancer. Handing over the reins to someone who was a medical intern just over three years ago is a decision that has left many in the medical fraternity seething. Senior doctors, some of whom taught Luvindao not long ago, feel insulted.

And yet, there’s a counterargument. Perhaps a radical shake-up is exactly what this ministry needs. Maybe decades of "experienced" leadership have delivered nothing but corruption, inefficiency and decay. Luvindao is young and energetic and comes with a fresh perspective – qualities that could just shock the system into action.

Word on the street is that Nandi-Ndaitwah is paying close attention to the growing public dissent. If Luvindao stumbles early, the president may be forced to rethink her gamble. But if she delivers, she will silence the critics and rewrite the rules of leadership in Namibia.

For now, Namibia holds its breath. Is this a stroke of genius or a national misdiagnosis? Time, as always, will be the judge.