EDITORIAL: Time for Netumbo to preach unity

Namibians have bestowed the highest honour available on Vice-President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah to take over as head of state for the next five years.Among 1.3 million people, many of whom are equally able to lead the country, she is the one that the nation has duly entrusted with this sacred responsibility.Her rhetoric since being announced as president-elect has been lacking that ‘mother to all’ ingredient. Her acceptance speech on the night she was declared the winner kept harping on about Swapo, even when there’s evidence that there are non-Swapo members who voted for her. This is evident in the overall outcome, where more people voted for her than the ruling party itself.True, Swapo must celebrate its subdued victory. And as the de facto party leader, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with NNN rejoicing in the celebrations – or even leading them.But where’s that message of unity? Elections are over and she is now the leader of even her fiercest critics. The party’s victory celebration event last weekend presented the best opportunity to showcase that we have voted a unifier into office, especially in this polarising post-election period.Instead, we were served with a cocktail of bashing the NBC journalist who alleged that the vice-president collapsed twice during the campaign trail – and that there are those baying for her blood, literally. We are not dismissing these as irrelevant remarks, but where’s the reconciliatory tone of the new head of the proverbial Namibian House? And why are journalists already being suspended in her name, even before she takes office?

EDITORIAL: Time for Netumbo to preach unity

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-18

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EDITORIAL: Time for Netumbo to preach unity

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Namibian Sun 2025-04-18

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