President-elect Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah claims there are people who wish her ill and that threats have allegedly been made on her life.
Nandi-Ndaitwah made these allegations at a Swapo victory party in Windhoek on Saturday.
Although she said attempts had been made on her life, she did not provide evidence to substantiate the claims.
“It’s not a secret that there are those who want to see something worse happen to me.
They are not thinking of it now.
They have been thinking of it. In 2017, I was involved in a [car] accident. Some people threw parties because they thought ‘she was finished’.”
However, Nandi-Ndaitwah said many people also pray for her well-being.
“There are so many who are praying for this soul, for this heart, for this body, and they will continue to pray,” Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
She also said towards the end of 2022, she was called by a journalist who allegedly asked her to comment on suggestions that she was going to die in 2023.
“It’s true, one journalist called me asking me that question,” she said.
She said if there were people who wished for her life to end prematurely, then so be it.
Nandi-Ndaitwah emphasised that during this year’s election campaign, there was fake news that she was hospitalised at the Opuwo and Onandjokwe hospitals.
Nandi-Ndaitwah said since 2022, after she started campaigning, she has not visited a hospital or been admitted in hospital.
However, she alleged that “something mysterious” happened to her on 26 October this year. She said her medical team told her what happened to her was not a medical condition. However, she did not go into detail about what happened to her.
At the time, it was widely reported that Nandi-Ndaitwah blacked out at a Swapo rally at Otjiwarongo.
On that day, Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa warned “witches” to leave Nandi-Ndaitwah alone.
She said a certain individual predicted that Nandi-Ndaitwah would fall sick at Otjiwarongo.
“Stop it with immediate effect. It must be the last time I am hearing this,” Shaningwa said.
Police inspector general Joseph Shikongo said he would comment on the matter after he receives formal communication in respect of the attempts on the president-elect’s life.
“[In terms of] security, we are ready to protect anybody in Namibia whose life is under threat, either from the opposition or ruling party,” Shikongo said.
Swapo deputy secretary general Uahekua Herunga yesterday could not confirm if there was a need to beef up Nandi-Ndaitwah’s security, saying “the party has not discussed the matter”.
In June this year, Swapo central committee member Martin Shalli called on party members and supporters to pray for Nandi-Ndaitwah as there are some who wish her ill.
Shalli was speaking at a Swapo campaign event at Onyaanya in the Oshikoto region.
“May God be with our candidate comrade Netumbo. May He bless her. May the grace of God follows her everywhere she goes. Let’s all pray for her because there are those who are wishing her bad,” Shalli said.
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In February this year, Nandi-Ndaitwah’s official car emitted smoke or steam as she was about to depart Heroes’ Acre after the late president Hage Geingob’s funeral. She was swiftly escorted away by her security detail.
On 29 November last year, Nandi-Ndaitwah’s back-up vehicle caught fire while in motion. No injuries were reported and the Mercedes-Benz was reduced to ashes.
In December 2017, Nandi-Ndaitwah survived a car crash while travelling in north-central Namibia.
At the time her motorcade collided head-on with a light pickup truck.
Two people were reported to have perished in the accident.
Claims of assassination are not unfamiliar to heads of state.
Such allegations also emerged during Geingob’s election.
His close associate at the time, former justice minister Sacky Shanghala, was quoted by The Namibian in 2014, stating there were attempts to eliminate Geingob.
Geingob himself acknowledged being aware of discussions regarding threats to his life.
Prior to Geingob, former president Hifikepunye Pohamba had his security enhanced in 2005 while he was the president-elect.
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