Geingob needs a dramatic curtain-drop

By Victor Angula|

On 21 March 2025 President Hage Geingob will hand over the reins to the man or woman who will become the next commander-in-chief of the republic of Namibia.

And that is not so much far. It is just three years and a month away, or 37 months to go.

So, the commander-in-chief of the armed forces of the land of the brave, the CEO of the Namibian nation where the economy is concerned, the Big Man of the Namibian House where social inclusion is concerned – he is running out of time.

Really. He hasn’t much time left for him to make an indelible impact on the memory of the nation. At least to do something he will be remembered for.

In all honesty I don’t think that he should come to think that his Harambee Prosperity Plan (HPP) has produced anything at all of which he will be remembered for.

He needs to do something urgently, something dramatic. Something that will immortalise his name. Could it be the introduction or implementation of the BIG idea? Or it is the NEEEF? Either one may bring Geingob closer to the halls of immortality.

The Basic Income Grant, if introduced at a national level and at a large scale could lift Geingob’s name high in fame or infamy. If the roll-out of the BIG project prove to be a success and sustainable over the next decade and beyond 2030 it will make him to be one president in Africa ever who did such a thing, something for others to emulate.

But if the BIG is ever implemented and it get to flop by making government coffers run dry within half a decade, still that will be one project that will stand out as an indelible stamp for the Geingob Presidency.

NEEEF has potential to make the Namibian economy transform in favour of the indigenous community (the black population); but it also has potential to fail.

NEEEF is just another name for Black Economic Empowerment (BEE) which was introduced in South Africa some more than 10 years ago. Instead of transforming the economy it only created a few black millionaires, while the economy remains the same.

Can Geingob do something BIG or something NEEEF? Just do something. Just do it. The Basic Income Grant might succeed. It might also fail. But just do it. The National Equitable Economic Empowerment Framework might succeed. But it might also fail, nobody knows.

But just do it. If the BIG or NEEEF make you famous or infamous, at least either way your name will be remembered for many years to go.