Lahja Nashuuta
Chrissy Kaakunga-Hindjou, one of the civil servants to serve under the Founding President and Father of the Namibian Nation, Sam Shafaiishuna Nujoma, describes him as a reliable ally of the working class, an outstanding leader of the national liberation movement, and a statesman.
“I am thankful for what he did for us as a country, but it’s a painful loss; I cried when I heard that he had died; he was a father to us. This country will never have another leader like him; we’ve lost someone important,” Hindjou said. A senior human resources officer (HR) at the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Hindjou considered herself lucky to work for the government soon after the country gained independence in 1990 under Nujoma’s presidency.
Born in Epako and currently residing in Otjinene, Hindjou joined the public service in 1996 as a clerk and has been climbing the professional ladder to where she is today. She told New Era she has been with the OPM for the last 28 years and will retire in four years.
“Joining the public service is the right decision I made with no regret,” shared Hindjou.
The seasoned public servant, however, confessed that HR was never her passion, saying her first love was being an accountant.
“When I was young, I wanted to be an accountant because I was very good at Mathematics; after failing to register for the course, I decided to venture into human resources, which turned out to fit me very well,” she said.
Public service
Asked why she chose the public service, Hindjou said the environment allows one to be a patriotic Namibian to the fullest.
Hindjou pointed to job security and other benefits such as medical aid, housing and transport allowance, capacity-building mentorship, and empowerment as driving forces behind her choice.
“I enjoy meeting up new people, networking, and engaging other stakeholders,” she shared.
Longest-serving civil servant
Hindjou has served all prime ministers who served the government. Asked what stands out to be her memorable moments, Hindjou emphasized the fortune to serve the government throughout the four administrations and all the prime ministers.
“I had no personal encounter with our late founding president. However, I remember attending an event that was at the parliament gardens. He encourages us to be committed to our work, saying we are all valuable government assets. It is breathtaking to serve under all the prime ministers as well. If I may reflect, I can say yes, every leader has possessed his natural leadership style, but what stood out for me is the fact that they were all fighting for a common goal, which is to address the socio-economic challenges our country faced and the betterment of all citizens,” she said.
Hindjou said all the prime ministers she served under had an open-door policy and served with humanity.
“The first Prime Minister, Nahas Angula, was an open-door policy leader. He always encouraged people to engage him. For him, making an appointment was not an issue; just let the people come in. The late President Hage Geingob, one could say, was a good communicator and a people person. Under him, we used to have a lot of team building, problem-solving activities, and socialising events. For instance, our current Prime Minister, Saara Kungongelwa-Amadhila, is a mother to all of us. I don’t deal with her directly, but when we meet in the meetings, the way she engages and solves the issue, one could tell that she is a caring person who likes the work to be done in a transparent and accountable manner,” she said.
OPM
“As a senior HR, I am responsible for ensuring that the workforce can perform optimally, ensuring that sufficient people are recruited, retained, trained, and supported to fulfill the ministry’s goals. As HR officers, apart from staffing, training employees, developing policies relating to them, and developing strategies to retain them, we also do a broad range of tasks ranging from employee relations, career coaching, health and safety, and head-hunting. And all in all, to make sure the organisation you work for can meet its objectives by having the right workforce in place,” she said.
Challenges
Every job comes with its fair share of challenges, and for Hindjou, it is disciplinary hearings.
“The hardest decision I must make as a senior HR practitioner is to reprimand and fire staff. Yes, it is part of my responsibilities, but as a mother, sending someone home in this economic situation gives me a sleepless night,” she said.
Despite the challenges, she still finds it fulfilling to go to work every day and would not trade it for anything. “It is fulfilling when I have to give counselling to staff, and the person changes for the better. It is more fulfilling when the staff comes back to my office to say thank you. Just that feeling of knowing that you can make a difference. It is also a fast-paced environment, which means there is never a dull moment, and time flies when you are having ‘fun’,” she said.
Hindjou, however, could not fully agree with the perception that certain civil servants are lazy and largely ineffective.
“Public services are by nature a large sector, and we have observed many professions compared to the private sector, and due to that, tools of the trade will never be sufficient for all of us.
Heading into retirement, Hindjou revealed she plans to become a farmer and establish a programme to care for San children in her community.
-lnashuuta@gmail.com