President-elect Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah addressed rumours about her health during Swapo Party’s victory celebrations in Windhoek over the weekend.

Coming out guns blazing, Nandi-Ndaitwah poured cold water over claims in certain quotas that she collapsed during one of her star rallies in the run-up to the Presidential and National Assembly elections. 

Nandi-Ndaitwah won the presidential race while Swapo won 51 seats in the National Assembly. The party currently holds 63 of the 96 seats in the National Assembly.

Addressing party supporters Nandi-Ndaitwah said: “During this campaign, there has been a lot of breaking news. I have been in this campaign; I have been on the road addressing Namibians. From 2022, together with the secretary general, during the internal campaign, we went to all regions. Never, any day, during that period, did I even go to the hospital, not even having a headache.”

Nandi-Ndaitwah criticised a Namibian who allegedly made claims on an international media platform about her having collapsed twice.

“This is very shameful. That a Namibian citizen has the audacity to go out and say, two times, I collapsed. 

What a shame. All Namibians know the reality,” said Nandi-Ndaitwah at the event.

The president-elect further described such claims as actions of a “desperate, wounded politician.” She added that some individuals have wished ill upon her life, and she recounted an incident in 2017 when she was involved in a severe car accident.

“They thought I was finished. It is not a secret that there are those who want to see something worse happening to me. They are not thinking of it now; they have been thinking of it all along,” she said.

Nandi-Ndaitwah also recalled a 2022 incident when a journalist asked her about rumours predicting her death in 2023.

“My response was, only God knows when individuals are going to die. But if there are those who want to end my life prematurely, then that is good,” she added.

Suspension

On Friday, the State broadcaster, the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), suspended executive editor, Anna Nicodemus, following remarks she made about Nandi-Ndaitwah’s health during an interview with South African news channel Newzroom Afrika.

Nicodemus confirmed her suspension to the media on the same day.

“I can confirm my suspension this morning following an interview with Newzroom Afrika. Pending investigations, I am unable to comment further at this stage,” she said.

In the interview with Newzroom Afrika, Nicodemus said she was surprised that Nandi-Ndaitwah would take over the reins to rule Namibia. 

“But then there’s certain doubt created, like a woman in her 70s, is she really capable of ruling a government efficiently and effectively? And we’ve heard that even during the campaign trail, she collapsed on two occasions.”

She added: “And people are worried about her health, about whether this will actually be a lasting, you know, a lasting move. I mean, knowing ourselves as women, when it comes to health issues, and especially when it comes to age, our health also dwindles. That’s just biology.” Responding to the allegations of collapsing, Nandi-Ndaitwah said: “I went again to all regions with the same headache. This year during the campaign trail, I did so again. Of course, I am aware of what happened on 26 October, which is also a mystery.

She said her medical team had advised her to go back and finish her statement – and even sing the Swapo anthem – as nothing would happen to her. 

“If one collapses, you cannot do that,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said. 

Meanwhile, the Affirmative Repositioning has condemned Nicodemus’ suspension. 

“The Affirmative Repositioning (AR) strongly condemns the unwarranted suspension of Anna Nicodemus, the editor for investigative journalism and politics at the NBC, following her interview with Newzroom Afrika. This decision by the NBC management to suspend Nicodemus without any hearing conducted is a troubling step towards censorship and a direct attack on free speech in Namibia. Nicodemus was fulfilling her role as a journalist by providing an honest and necessary account of the state of health of the president- elect, Netumbo Nandi-Ndeitwah,” AR said in a statement issued on Friday. 

The party continued: “Her decision to speak out about her observations, namely that the president-elect collapsed on two occasions, was a professional responsibility, not a political agenda. Journalists have a duty to report the truth, especially when the information is in the public interest. Suspending Anna Nicodemus for doing her job undermines press freedom and the rights of Namibian journalist to hold public figures accountable.”

Furthermore, the Namibia Media Professionals Union (Nampu) also condemned the suspension. 

“This unjustified suspension represents a direct attack on press freedom and undermines the independence of journalists in Namibia. Nampu wishes to remind the NBC and all relevant stakeholders of the essential role that a free and independent press plays in a democratic society. Journalists must be able to exercise their professional duties without fear of reprisal, especially in the context of critical and investigative reporting. “The suspension of Anna Nicodemus is not only an assault on her rights as a journalist but also a blow to the principles of free expression that are fundamental to our democracy,” the union’s acting secretary general Jemima Beukes said in statement. 

Hard work 

Nandi-Ndaitwah also took the opportunity to reassure her supporters of her commitment to fulfilling the promises made during her campaign.

“I can assure you that before we go on recess, all elected members of the parliament, together with members of the Central Committee, are going to have a retreat, and it will take place,” she said.

Regarding Swapo’s loss of seats in the recently concluded National Assembly elections, Nandi-Ndaitwah acknowledged the party’s disappointment and emphasised the need for improvement.

“We should not fail the Namibian people. Therefore, moving forward, there should be no business as usual. We must work hard to make sure at the end of five years, we will be able to come back and account to the Namibian people,” she said. 

-ashikololo@nepc.com.na