Staff Reporter
PRESIDENT Mokgweetsi Masisi of Botswana emphasized that Namibia and Botswana have always had excellent relations, adding that the late President Hage Geingob significantly contributed to this relationship.
President Masisi highlighted the longstanding nature of this relationship, recalling that before Namibia gained independence in 1990, Botswana provided refuge and safe passage to Namibians fleeing oppression and persecution from white minority settler regimes.
“We are humbled that such an enduring legacy of sustained democratic ideals and a climate of peace gave the necessary assurance to our neighbours who fled atrocities from East, West, North, and South, to finally settle in Botswana, or opted to use Botswana as a reliable conduit to Lusaka, to Arusha, and Dar es Salaam. Dr. Geingob was among those that came to Botswana through the same channel before the journey took him to distant lands to intensify their campaigns for material and other forms of support necessary to aid their justified and noble cause,” President Masisi explained.
The President of Botswana made these remarks at the Post-Memorial Service hosted in homer of the late President Geingob in Botswana today.
The service, held at the Gaborone International Conference Centre in Botswana’s capital city, Gaborone, attracted a notable gathering of senior government officials, parliamentarians, senior citizens, members of the diplomatic corps, and cabinet ministers from both Namibia and Botswana, all assembled to pay tribute to the late president’s life and legacy.
President Nangolo Mbumba, who arrived in Botswana yesterday, was also in attendance at the Memorial Service. President Masisi commended President Mbumba for smoothly assuming the leadership of Namibia following the passing of President Geingob in February.
“As President and comforter in chief, you took the script so effortlessly to help ease their heartaches and pain. We thank and repose honour on you, my dear brother, for guiding all the grieving multitudes in Namibia, in Botswana, SADC, Africa, and beyond. We applaud you for your leadership as you calmly ensured your appointment raised no tension, no anxiety,” President Masisi said.
Describing late President Geingob as a “towering” but humble man, who never wavered to have others learn from his “well-orchestrated craft of steering the presidency,” President Masisi made it clear that the late president’s absence will be felt.
He emphasized that the love that Namibians have for the late president was particularly evident during the recent mourning period and burial ceremony of the president.
“On that day on the 25th of February 2024, without sparing themselves from adverse weather elements, Namibians from all walks of life lined at the streets to bid farewell to their beloved presidents,” President Masisi said.
He added that, given the historic special relationship between Namibia and Botswana, the nation of Botswana also saw it fit to honour and celebrate the life of the late President Geingob.
“We too in Botswana are here, Your Excellency, to memorialize, to honour, and to celebrate him as we love and cherish him,” President Masisi said.
