Sadzu Road renamed in honour of former Namibian president Hage Geingob

 Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Lusaka, Zambia, 16 May 2025

It gives me pleasure to address this auspicious occasion, which is of great historical significance. 

Namibia and Zambia share resilient and longstanding bonds of friendship. The people and the government of Zambia, under the leadership of president Hakainde Hichilema, are once again reinforcing the deep ties between our sister countries by renaming Sadzu Road after Hage Gottfried Geingob, the third president of the Republic of Namibia, who sadly died on 4 February 2024. 

We thank the government and the people of Zambia for the support during the difficult time of mourning our sitting president.

President Geingob spent over 14 years of his life in Zambia after he was appointed in 1975 by the president of Swapo, comrade Sam Shafiishuna Nujoma, to become the director of the United Nations Institute for Namibia (Unin). Unin was graciously hosted by this great city of Lusaka on this road. Under the leadership of the late Geingob, Unin trained thousands of Namibians to later manage the affairs of an independent Namibian government. 

The renaming of Sadzu Road to Dr Hage G Geingob Road is therefore a gesture of affection that further ignites the affinities that exist between our two nations.

Lusaka has always been a second home to Namibians. Zambia as a country hosted and extended support to many African liberation movements, including Swapo, the ANC, the MPLA, Zanu PF, Zapu, and Frelimo. 

Lusaka was the capital from which many of our liberation movements planned and operated freely to overthrow the colonial regimes in our region. The late president Geingob is one of those freedom fighters who embraced Lusaka as a stronghold of the struggle against the colonial apartheid regime in Namibia.

The renaming of this road after president Geingob gives new stature to our long-standing friendship with Zambia – a friendship that was forged during our long and bitter struggle for freedom.

In closing, I once again express our deepest appreciation to president Hichilema, the city of Lusaka and the people of Zambia for unanimously renaming Sadzu Road after our revered leader, Hage Gottfried Geingob. Indeed, Lusaka is a city of generosity. Namibians are proud that one of their own, Dr Hage G Geingob, who was once a freedom fighter in this city, has a street named after him, and in celebration of his legacy.

Zikomo kwambiri, I thank you.

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