2014-10-31Staff Report 2 The Right Honourable Prime Minister, Dr Hage Gottfried Geingob, is a philanthropist, a humane politician and a social developmentalist. He is a champion of the voiceless and the poor and he has themed the whole of his political life to the social and political development of all Namibians. He cares about those without shelter and basic social services that is why he built houses for the less fortunate Namibians. True to his academic excellence, which depicts discipline and achievement at the highest levels, Cde Gringo is an educationist who goes out of his way to pay even university tuition fees for political nonentities yet academically gifted students, and I am a living testimony. Yes, it is true that Cde Geingob paid for my third year studies (1997) at the University of Namibia (Unam). My own parents managed to pay for my first year and second year studies at Unam. In 1997, my parents could no longer afford to pay the university fees and I had no choice but to discontinue my studies. Life without government funding was not easy during my academic struggle at Unam, I must confess. I remember surviving on picking up empty bottles from government-funded student rooms with my friends and reselling them to Spar Supermarket to buy food. At one point I even thought of killing myself because I felt neglected and rejected by the ministry responsible for the Student Assistant Fund. My course of study was teacher education, which was one of the priority courses Government funded because of lack of teachers in an independent Namibia. While I was busy packing my bags to go back to the then Caprivi Region the name Geingob crossed my mind and I walked by foot from Unam to the Office of the Prime Minister. Upon arrival, I was tired, sweating and refused entry by the security officials to see the Prime Minister because I did not have an appointment. I stood in front of the OPM and felt hopeless and rejected again. While standing, the Prime Minister arrived and I was pushed away by one of the security officials. Fortunately, the Prime Minister saw the pushing and he asked what was going on. Before the police officer could answer, I jumped and told him that I was refused permission to meet him. He greeted me and he took me to his office without appointment. I explained my financial predicament and he immediately assigned Cde Jeff Mbako to look into the matter. The next day I was given a generous cheque to pay for my tuition fees, accommodation fees, books and meals. After paying I came back to say thank you and submit proof of payment to Cde Hage but he was busy in a meeting and I could not meet him. However, as a student leader I had a telephone line in my Unam room. I went to class and my other friend Nono was left in my room and he came running to me and told me that he answered a call and the person introduced himself as Hage Geingob and he acknowledged receipt of proof of payment. And at that time he said we must study hard. The welfare of all mankind is Cde Geingob’s number one priority. In him, let us entrust the common good of all Namibians to our dear Cde Geingob. Therefore, we must all vote for SWAPO Party and for Geingob as our next president. In SWAPO the country will not only move forward but in the right direction. Viva Cde Geingob Charles Siyauya 2014-10-31Staff Report 2
