WINDHOEK: Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has said Namibians have a responsibility to build the country in unity and through transparency to achieve efficiency as emphasised by the late President Hage Geingob.

Joining mourners at Geingob’s residence in Windhoek Monday night, Nandi-Ndaitwah said Geingob believed in the concept of ‘the Namibian House’. She said he left Namibians with the idea of the ‘Namibian House’, and they therefore have a responsibility to build the country, but they have to do so in unity.

Nandi-Ndaitwah was sworn in as vice president following Geingob’s death on Sunday.

She further said the Swapo party politburo has lost a leader who guided the party in many difficult times and issues.

‘Our commitment to him is to pay homage and maintain his legacy to make sure that this party which he built up from the early stages up to the last day, remains strong and of course to guide the government in prosperity and in order in the Namibian house,’ she said.

Reminiscing about her time wit
h Geingob, Nandi-Ndaitwah said she met him in 1974 when he accommodated her along with three other young women in his apartment in the United States of America (USA). She said they enjoyed a close relationship since and Geingob remained the same person throughout.

She recalled that it was during her times with Geingob in the USA that they learned how to navigate the corridors of the United Nations and handle the international community.

‘One thing he emphasised was reading, listening and always taking notes. That was really empowering to us who were there,’ she said.

Nandi-Ndaitwah also described Geingob as a strategist who believed in processes, systems and institutions functioning in order for issued to be addressed.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency