BRANDON VAN WYKPRESIDENT Hage Geingob has defended his decision to inaugurate lawyer Sisa Namandje’s new offices.
The president said that from a transformational perspective there must not be shame to recognise and celebrate notable achievements by dynamic individuals in our society, particularly those who are formerly disadvantaged. Geingob made these remarks in a Facebook statement on 13 December 2018 after an outcry from ordinary citizens.
This came after the media reported on Geingob’s inauguration of Namandje’s new office building on 7 December 2018. The president said the positive socio-economic impact that achievements such as that by Sisa Namandje & Co. Inc. would have on communities cannot be understated.
“This is exactly what the government expects from the private sector. Individuals behind such achievements should thus be encouraged rather than discouraged or maligned for no reason,” he said. The president added that it was least expected that such a joyous and important occasion celebrating an achievement by a hard-working, formerly disadvantaged and young legal professional would be politicised and subjected to inarticulate criticism.
“Instead of highlighting the event as one of Namibia’s success stories, (the media) completely blurred and overshadowed the memorable significance of the occasion,” Geingob further stated.
He continued to say that Namandje has a rare and inspirational story which should motivate the youth to pursue their dreams with vigour, as his life story proves that the sky is the limit.
“With regard to the notion that the president’s decision to officiate at the inauguration is akin to a conflict of interest, let us look at the case of United States “Big Law” firm Wilmer Cutler Pickering Hale and Dorr LLP aka Wilmer Hale,” the statement further read. He added that Wilmer Hale is one of the A-list law firms in the United States, and is known for its connections to the federal government.
“Many of the firm’s attorneys have experience in the department of justice, the department of defence and the executive office of the president. Moreover, many of the firm’s associates have served as counsel to US presidents such as Carter, Clinton and Bush Snr. Despite these connections, the firm’s reputation remains impeccable,” the president’s statement read.
The president said the same can be expected from Sisa Namandje and Co, as both Namandje and Geingob are consummate professionals in their respective fields.
“There is no doubt that should a situation arise that could reasonably result in a conflict of interest, they will be able to handle such a situation in an appropriate manner,” the post read.
It went on to say that Namandje is not a judge but a private lawyer.
“The relationship he has with the president therefore has no bearing on the functions of the judiciary, as suggested by some,” the statement further read.
The president continued to empahsise that freedom of expression is and remains instrumentally useful as a means, among other things, to interrogate government policies and foster Namibia’s democratic values.
The Facebook post added that Geingob continues to highlight the need to discourage malice-laden sensationalism in media reporting, as well as downright offensive and inflamatory statements that neither promote democracy, nor the interest of the public.
“The handling of and the reaction by some media houses and individuals to the president’s opening of Sisa Namandje & Co. Inc.’s office building are at odds with fairness and the basic standards tenets of freedom of speech,” the statement further read.
The president’s Facebook statement, in conclusion, stated that the artificially-induced furore surrounding the president’s decision to officiate at the inauguration of the Sisa Namndje building is much ado about nothing and is simply another case of perpetual cynics looking to critique each and every move of the head of state.
