Martin Endjala
Dr Bernard Haufiku, the former minister of health has dismissed reports suggesting that the president-elect, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, collapsed during election campaign rallies.
Haufiku told the Windhoek Observer on Sunday that Nandi-Ndaitwah experienced fatigue and a mild flu during the rally at Otjiwarongo while addressing party members.
“After an extremely busy schedule before that and having picked up a mild flu (this is why she was wearing a face mask), she displayed signs of tiredness and near-exhaustion. As a result, she double-read some of the text in her statements. This is where her security apparatus stepped in and asked her to sit down for a while,” he explained.
According to Haufiku, after resting for a while, she continued with her speech.
“After I personally checked her, she went back to complete her speech on the podium. There was thus nothing untoward about her or her health, either in Otjiwarongo or elsewhere during the campaign as far as I am concerned,” he said.
Haufiku said she outperformed many politicians, especially opposition parties and even her predecessors in Swapo.
He also dismissed concerns about her age. At 72, he argued that her age reflects maturity and a wealth of governance and diplomatic experience beneficial to the country.
“Namibia stands to hugely benefit from her wealth of experience in governance, which stretches over the last 34 years. And her exposure at the international level, bringing a rich network and diplomatic resources to Namibia. Let us be optimistic about the future and about her leadership,” he said.
The issue of Nandi-Ndaitwah having collapsed led to the suspension of NBC political and investigative editor Anna Nicodemus with South African television news channel Newzroom Africa last week.
Haufiku questioned the suspension.
“Why should Anna be fired? You mean for expressing herself on the issue of national interest?” He questioned.
Nicodemus was asked a question on the public sentiments regarding the election of a woman as the president of the country.
“Concerns have been raised about whether a woman in her 70s can govern effectively and efficiently. During the campaign trail, we heard reports that she collapsed on two occasions. People are concerned about her health and whether this will be her final term. Yes, there’s excitement among women who feel empowered by this milestone, but we also need to acknowledge the realities of health and ageing—it’s just biology,” Nicodemus said.
During the party’s election victory celebration at Sam Nujoma Stadium on Saturday, Nandi-Ndaitwah said that she remains steadfast in leading the nation, unaffected by those with wishful thinking.
She also took aim at what she described as shameless false news suggesting she was hospitalised.
She explained that despite having a headache during her campaign and visiting the hospital, she never received an admission, contrary to reports.
“I am aware of what happened on 26 October. Which is also a mystery. Because medically they are saying, the time of that (collapse) and time of full recovery and to go back to finish your statement and go further singing the Swapo anthem. Medically, this is not possible,” she explained.
She described the sentiment about her having collapsed as shameful.
“It is very shameful that a Namibian citizen has the audacity to go out and say I collapsed twice. What a shame and all Namibians know the reality. As a politician, I can only tell you that this was an action of a desperate, wounded politician who can make such lies,” she said.
She commended Namibians who voted for her and the party, assuring them that the party would continue to govern the country using the powers bestowed upon them by the youthful voters who turned out in large numbers.
