THE editorship of The Namibian changed hands when founding Editor Gwen Lister, after 26 years at the helm of the biggest newspaper in the country, passed on the torch to Tangeni Amupadhi on Friday.
Lister described it as ‘a momentous day’ in the history of the newspaper.The announcement was made at a special function for staff.Lister paid tribute to the people of Namibia, whom she thanked for their ‘support, trust and belief’ in The Namibian. ‘It is for them that we do what we do.’Accepting the challenge, Amupadhi said the newspaper ‘is a trust we must cherish’.’We must continue to serve the people,’ he emphasised.Lister also noted that The Namibian is a product of passion and journalistic activism, and more than just a newspaper, but a commitment to many.She said the newspaper had won the test of survival under the apartheid regime; survived a punitive advertising ban by the current Government, and had attained financial sustainability.’We have taken pride in our editorial independence, and cherished our strong adherence to human rights reporting and speaking truth to power. But we are also a business. And as a business, I am proud to say, that has always put principle before profit, people before politicians. We are the only non-owned newspaper, perhaps even business, in the country, and as a non-profit trust we have always been proudly independent of the dictates of government, party political or corporate ownership,’ said Lister.’I have loved every minute of leading this newspaper for nearly three decades. I have felt great joy when our fiercely independent reporting has made a difference; revealed injustice and changed things for the better and gave people a voice when they had none – from the tough years under colonialism when we would reveal the hardships and suffering of our people and the atrocities committed against them, to the present day where there remain any number of causes still to fight, including graft and corruption, unemployment and other societal problems.’Amupadhi takes over the newspaper at a time when its daily circulation has reached new heights, growing from 45 000 to over 50 000 in the last two weeks.He vowed to ensure that the newspaper grows in strength and stature as it evolves.Amupadhi was appointed editor-designate in April, after serving as editor of Insight magazine, which he co-founded in 2004, and has worked closely with Lister over the past six months before being confirmed in the position.Amupadhi’s journalism career spans 20 years, starting at the Namibia Press Agency (Nampa) as a cub reporter in February 1991, after which he undertook full-time studies in journalism and politics in Cape Town. He then worked at the Mail & Guardian for three years, and joined The Namibian as a political and investigative journalist before leaving to start Insight.He was Fulbright fellow at the University of Maryland and a Nieman fellow at Harvard University, both in the USA.Amupadhi will report to the newly established Free Press of Namibia (Pty Ltd) board of directors, on which Lister will serve as executive director.Lister will be responsible for special projects such as new business developments and she will also Chair the Board of Trustees.Other Free Press of Namibia board members are senior counsel Theo Frank, who has extensive board experience; human rights lawyer Norman Tjombe; and Zimbabwean national Luckson Chipare, who was the regional director of the Media Institute of Southern Africa (Misa) before he became Misa’s trust funds board chairperson.The new board of directors will elect its chairperson at its inaugural meeting to be held within the next few weeks.* The full text of Lister’s handover speech can be accessed on the website www.namibian.com.na later today.
