Theo-Ben Gurirab at 80 – a personal reflection

• ANDRE SEPTEMBERI WAS in high school in the 70s when I heard him first speak – a clip on local radio on the struggle for the independence of Namibia, relayed from United Nations Radio in New York. And then, they asked me whether I knew him.

In early February 1984, upon my return to the University of the Western Cape, a group of us, student activists, started protest action against the continued illegal incarceration of Andimba Toivo Ya Toivo on Robben Island. We demanded his immediate release together with all other political prisoners from Namibia.

What started out as simply a form of picketing morphed into a total disruption of the start of the academic year. For my trouble, I was incarcerated for almost three months. Little did we know that the authorities were in the process of releasing Ya Toivo.

I am reminded of this experience because during the many interrogations I was subjected to, they kept on asking me about people such as Sam Nujoma, Hidipo Hamutenya, Theo-Ben Gurirab, and others. My goodness, I thought, these were almost mythical figures (at the time) of whom we heard about on the radio, and read about in the newspapers or got information about through some underground material. We did not know these people.

And then, one day just after independence and just after I had joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, I met Theo-Ben Gurirab, the minister – in the typing pool. I was dictating work to one of the typists, and he walked in to give a message to his niece. So, we greeted and briefly spoke.

Soon after that, I was asked to accompany him (as his assistant) to Harare for an Organisation of African Unity (OAU) meeting. This marked the start of a long journey together in the realm of international relations that will conclude with me serving as a member of his Cabinet during his presidency of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Before leaving the civil service, I would still serve as his chief of staff when he became Prime Minister of Namibia.

Over the years, I had this wonderful privilege of witnessing Gurirab – the consummate diplomat – in action, from close-up.

Given my interest in the interaction and synergy between ethics and international affairs, I spent a lot of time reflecting on what made Gurirab such an extraordinary diplomat. Yes, he is a wonderfully kind and generous human being! Yes, he is a good listener! Yes, he is probably one of the most knowledgeable people around, and not only in Namibia for that matter! Yes, he can have a way of interacting with people, and that draws them to him and makes people trust him! Yes, he seems to have perfected a balance between apparent detachment and gregarious engagement.

But, I guess, professionally speaking, it is his understanding that real people make real decisions. Thus, at the root of policy, at the root of morality and international affairs, is human intervention. It is an assertion best summarised by Hans J Morgenthau and Kenneth W Thompson, “Ethical rules have their seat in the conscience of individual men.”

Government by clearly identifiable men who can be held responsible for their actions is, therefore, the precondition for the existence of an effective system of international ethics.

“This is what Gurirab understood very well, knowing that people bring their whole being, their experiences and insight, their morals and values to diplomacy.

It is because of this tremendous clarity that Gurirab possesses on such a fundamental principle of governance and decision-making, that he placed a high premium on human relations and brought his humanity to bear on governance, diplomacy and foreign policy.

This is what made him so effective in the diplomatic space. No wonder, I had never seen him getting flustered, whatever the circumstances.

At home and abroad, I had been witness to Gurirab the phenomenal diplomat and statesman. Even as Prime Minister, people relations and an appreciation of people’s decision-making processes, came good for him. He always placed human beings, their humanity and dignity first. No wonder that most if not all of his achievements on the international stage came about because others pushed for him to be recognised, credited and acknowledged.

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