Namibia’s Friendship With Authoritarians Concerning

The Namibian government has done well to condemn the United States (US) and Israel for human rights atrocities being committed in Gaza and the rest of Palestine.

In fact, the government, through president Hage Geingob, was on point when admonishing Germany’s support for unrestrained Israeli revenge bombardments following the Hamas brutality on Israeli civilians on 7 October 2023.

Then our government’s true colours emerged this week when the US tightened sanctions on Zimbabwean president Emmerson Mnangagwa and his inner circle over human rights abuses and anti-democratic actions.

Whether it’s Zimbabwe, China or Russia, where a democracy leader of the stature of Alexei Navalny was tortured and eventually died under questionable circumstance, Namibia has unequivocally supported authoritarian regimes.

We can’t but help wonder if our government leaders are indeed themselves against democracy and human rights.

How otherwise can they explain their consistent defence of autocrats while never advocating civil liberties in such countries?

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