Why opposition leaders slam president’s midnight Independence Day TV address

Independent Patriots for Change president Panduleni Itula has criticised president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s decision to deliver a televised midnight Independence Day address instead of appearing at a public event.

Nandi-Ndaitwah will host this year’s Independence Day celebrations on TV at midnight on Saturday for the first time.

Presidential spokesperson Jonas Mbambo yesterday said Nandi-Ndaitwah will deliver her official Independence Day address live on the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC).

“The Independence Day statement will be delivered live on NBC at 00h00 on 21 March,” he says.

Mbambo says the president will later host members of the diplomatic corps for a luncheon at State House.

The message follows an earlier announcement by Nandi-Ndaitwah on 17 March, revealing that this year’s Independence Day celebrations will be decentralised and hosted across all 14 regions.

Under this arrangement, regional governors are expected to oversee events in their respective regions, with different keynote speakers assigned to each region.

Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) president Panduleni Itula says the president’s address to a sleeping nation raises questions.

“Anything under the cover of darkness raises serious explanatory inquiries,” he says.

Itula asks why the president prefers not to be seen by the electorate.

“Is she hiding something behind technology, and why does she not deliver it in the open, in the presence of the nation? We urge her to respect the electorate and deliver it when we are awake,” he says.

Itula says a nation cannot be governed remotely, and worse, in darkness on TV.

“The president has much to be admired should her excellency proceed to deliver such a message,” he says.

The nation demands, through the voice of the official opposition, to see the president delivering her message in daylight, physically, the IPC president says.

“This is to reassure us that she is well and strong enough to lead us. Are there any health concerns?” he asks.

Political analyst Rui Tyitende says if the president’s intention is truly to save limited national resources, he supports her decision to address the nation on television at midnight.

He says if there are other reasons behind the move, the Office of the President needs to provide a clear explanation for it.

“Why midnight? Many people are not opposed to a live broadcast itself, but rather to the choice of midnight. Who is expected to be watching or listening at that hour? Most citizens will be asleep,” he says.

Tyitende says the Office of the President should justify why a midnight address is deemed appropriate.

Community activist Shaun Gariseb said the office of the presidency is setting a concerning trend and has called on the presidency to be transparent about the announcement.

“Hosting an Independence Day statement at midnight is highly unusual and raises serious concerns, especially for the public at this time,” he said.

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