OSHAKATI: Botswana President, Mokgweetsi Masisi, said that the late President Hage Geingob significantly contributed to the excellent relations between Namibia and Botswana.

Masisi made the remarks during a memorial service held for the late President Geingob in Gaborone, Botswana on Wednesday.

In a live broadcast by Botswana Television (BTV), 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,’ he said.

Masisi then described the late Geingob as a towering figure, a leading statesman both in stat
ure and accomplishments, who however bowed himself lowly and dressed himself with unmistaken humility.

He noted that Geingob was never in a hurry to outpace some of them who came well after him and needed to lean on him, learn from him, and mimic his well-orchestrated craft of steering the presidency, not to mention his nimble dancing skills, particularly on the campaign trail.

Meanwhile, President Nangolo Mbumba, at the same ceremony, indicated that the bond between Masisi and the late Geingob transcended governance.

He highlighted that Masisi was the first Head of State to visit President Geingob last year following an operation he had, and also the first to travel to Namibia after news of the late president’s death broke to support the bereaved family.

President Geingob, who died at the age of 82 in Windhoek, was buried at Heroes’ Arce on 25 February 2024.

Source: The Namibia Press Agency