Windhoek
The fairly new Presidential Advisory Council, established last year to safeguard the wisdom of the country’s former presidents and prime ministers, is set to have its first ever meeting in Windhoek today.
Former presidents Sam Nujoma and Hifikepunye Pohamba, both members of the council, are scheduled to meet President Hage Geingob today, although what is on the meeting’s agenda remains unknown.
Geingob announced the meeting during consultative talks he held with media editors at State House yesterday.
“The first Presidential Advisory Council meeting takes place tomorrow. For now it will be the three of us only, but in future former prime ministers and deputy prime ministers will be invited to attend,” President Geingob said.
Geingob recently declared 2016 as “a year of implementation” and it is widely expected that today’s meeting would set out a roadmap of how implementation would be rolled out.
Nujoma and Pohamba were presidents for a combined 25 years and Geingob believes the two statesmen’s combined wisdom and experience should go to waste, but must be safeguarded and used to the country’s benefit.
The council was established by executive decision of the president and signals harmony among Namibia’s political leadership – especially those within the ruling party Swapo.
When he announced the establishment of the Presidential Advisory Council last year, Geingob said: “In the new Africa, former presidents live freely and in tranquillity in their countries, enjoying respect and appreciation from their countrymen and women. They often end up playing important roles in their countries.”