President Hage Geingob’s legacy is one that will forever be etched into the fabric of Namibian society, not only for his contributions to the political landscape, but also for his unwavering support to the Namibian business community as well as his commitment to social progression for all.
The Namibian nation woke up to the devastating news of the passing of Geingob on the morning of Sunday, 4 February 2024. The country’s first Prime Minister and former president is scheduled to be buried this Sunday, 25 February 2024.
At a memorial service on Monday at his private residence Casa Rosalia, the business community was given the floor to remember the late president.
Zebra Kasete, president of the Chamber of Mines of Namibia, recounted the last meeting he had with Geingob late last year. “In his final words on the day, he said ‘I’m leaving the country in good shape. And of course, I never knew he was saying goodbye to me and to the nation,” said Kasete.
He described the late president as a guiding light for the mining fraternity, stating that throughout his tenure, Geingob exemplified unwavering support, which paved the way for his ambitions to reshape governance structures, and for instilling transparency and accountability in the private sector.
“I also asked him, what do you want your legacy to be? He just looked at me, and smiled. He then said, ‘I want to build a strong governance institution with good systems and predictable processes in Namibia,” Kasete recounted. He also applauded Geingob’s systems, processes and institutions’ mantra, saying these will undoubtedly attract more investments for Namibia and build investor confidence. At the same occasion, president of the Namibian Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) Bisey /Uirab described Geingob as a visionary leader who understood the crucial role that businesses play in driving economic growth and creating opportunities for the people of Namibia.
“Throughout his tenure in various roles, he championed policies that promoted entrepreneurship, innovation and investment, laying the groundwork for a thriving business environment in our country,” he noted.
/Uirab said the current relationship which exists today between Namibia’s enterprises and government is the work of the late president. “He knew when to step in and would know when to take leadership, and when to step back. The late leader was unapologetic in his quest to promote value-addition as an economic growth strategy and a mechanism to create wealth, be it in the agricultural sector, mining, or by way of expanding the country’s industrial base,” he added.
He said Geingob laid firm and fertile ground to take the nation to new levels of prosperity.
“All Namibians shall feel part of this great Namibian House, and no Namibian must feel left out. It is now up to us, the nation, to work towards and to realise his dream of a prosperous Namibia, and to make him proud in his eternal home, and indeed make the Namibian people proud in what we do as business people and as a government of this country,” /Uirab continued.
Also at Monday’s memorial service, Sven Thieme, executive chairman of Ohlthaver & List and Cleanergy Namibia, said one of Geingob’s legacies is that Namibia gained recognition on the global stage as an attractive destination for investment, and a pioneer in the development of green hydrogen.
“His foresight has positioned our country at the forefront of sustainable energy, earning the respect and commitment of the international business community. We, as part of the community, are dedicated to continuing his work, ensuring his vision for a thriving Namibian House to become his legacy,” he stated.
Thieme further urged people to be committed enough to the ideals championed by the late president.
Namibia received record-high foreign direct investments (FDIs) in 2022 and 2023. FDI inflows in the second quarter (April to June) of 2023 amounted to N$13.5 billion, as per Bank of Namibia data, the highest seen in over a decade.
In December last year, FDI Intelligence reported that Namibia was ranked fifth out of 50 countries, which showed strong momentum going into 2024. The country is further on a progressive note with regards to the green hydrogen space, which was one of the late president’s ambitions.
Other business people who presented tributes to Geingob at the event included president of the Bankers Association of Namibia (BAN) Conrad Dempsey, vice-chairperson of the Federation of Namibian Tourism Associations (Fenata) Kenneth Nependa, member of the Business Rescue Task Force (BRTF) Amalia Schmidt, vice chairperson of the Namibia Network of Cosmetics Industries Mareka Masule, founder of Emirates Trading (SME) Josua Haimbodi and president of the Namibia Agricultural Union (NAU) Thinus Pretorius.