Last Thursday as the clock was ticking, former president Nangolo Mbumba took time to dish out advice to both President- Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and the Namibian nation at large.
He urged Namibians, particularly the youth, to maintain their good health and refrain from spending money on alcohol and barbeque for pleasure, emphasising the importance of saving and avoiding unnecessary expenses.
“The fact that you spend your money eating well at the end of the month does not mean that is what sustains a family. A family must keep whatever they get. The economy is not about having many things; it’s about managing what you have,” he advised.
Courage
Reflecting on the moment he received the devastating news of president Hage Geingob’s passing, Mbumba revealed that former president Hifikepunye Pohamba played a crucial role in giving him courage.
“President Pohamba has a very good understanding of the president’s role.
He did not call me to his office or house – he came straight to my office immediately and told me, ‘Mbumba, it has fallen on you. Don’t panic.’”
He said Pohamba’s words helped him stay steady in a difficult moment.
“Maybe some of the courage I had came from knowing that a former Head of State stood before me and told me, ‘This is your duty.’ I couldn’t avoid it, or give it to someone else. Maybe I panicked in my heart, but I couldn’t show it. If you panic as a leader, it’s like standing in a building and shouting ‘fire.’ Whether there’s a fire or not, people will get hurt running for the door.”
Message to NNN
As he prepared to hand over power to Nandi-Ndaitwah on Friday, in an exclusive interview with New Era and NBC at State House, Mbumba spoke candidly about his experiences leading Namibia through a challenging period following the passing of Geingob.
“There is nothing one can teach Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah at this stage. She served as minister of international relations for so many years, was deputy prime minister, and last year she became vice president. She has been at the helm, leading the party while I was leading the country. The two of us were like orphans left without a father. We had two options: work together or not. We chose to work together,” the President stated with a joyful voice.
He, however, informed the incoming leader that the presidency comes with immense responsibility, and is a 24/7 commitment that can drain one’s energy.
“The vice president’s job is a normal office job – you come in, make decisions and chair meetings. But being the Head of State places you on a different level.
You are equal with other Heads of State; presidents from China and Germany treat you as a counterpart. In SADC, we are more like a club – if I have a message or an issue, I can just call any president,” he opined.
“You don’t have working hours like a normal job.
That’s why you are given a house close to the office, and a staff that works around the clock. It takes your energy, so you must avoid getting easily annoyed – it will drain you. As long as the country is not on fire, you are okay,” Mbumba cautioned Nandi Ndaitwah, whom he referred to as a sister.