Pohamba sworn in as new Namibian leader

By Brigitte Weidlich

Windhoek – NAMIBIA’S second president since independence, Hifikepunye Pohamba, was sworn in yesterday and made some substantial changes to his cabinet, but remained within former president Sam Nujoma’s loyalist fold.

Earlier, Pohamba vowed to uphold the legacy of veteran leader Nujoma, who held power for the last 15 years.

Pohamba, 69, a fellow veteran of Namibia’s struggle against apartheid South African rule, took the oath to uphold the constitution before 20 000 people assembled at an open-air stadium in Windhoek despite the rain.

“I accept this new duty as second president of Namibia with great humility,” Pohamba said in his inauguration speech.

“I am taking over from the founding father of our nation, President Sam Nujoma, and I express my deep appreciation to him as legendary freedom fighter.

“We must uphold the legacy of the founding president and continue with peace, stability and prosperity,” said Pohamba, who was handpicked by Nujoma to succeed him.

Pohamba, who served as lands minister under Nujoma, won 76,4 per cent of the vote as the ruling Swapo party candidate, campaigning on a platform that called for continuity.

In his inaugural speech, Pohamba announced the appointment of former higher education minister Nahas Angula as prime minister and of former health minister Libertine Amathila as deputy prime minister.

Pohamba made some substantial changes in his cabinet.

A new safety and security ministry is to be headed by Namibia’s former intelligence chief, Peter Tshirumbu-Tseehama, who will also double as the country’s acting defence minister.

Another big change was moving the office of the attorney general under the justice ministry, to be headed by Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana. Nujoma’s son Utoni was appointed her deputy.

Stepping into Pohamba’s shoes as lands minister is former home affairs minister Jerry Ekandjo.

The new president did not touch on the potentially explosive issue of land reform in his inauguration speech that came just days after he warned that Namibia could face a “revolution” unless white farmers agreed to give up some of their land.

Around 3 800 farmers, the majority of whom are white, own 44 per cent of arable land, an imbalance Pohamba and the ruling Swapo have vowed to address by buying land from the commercial farmers.

Pohamba took the oath of office before a coterie of African leaders, including South African President Thabo Mbeki, Zimbabwe’s Robert Mugabe, Nigerian President Olusegun Obasanjo and Tanzanian leader Benjamin Mkapa.

For Namibians, the hand-over of power marked the end of an era with the departure of Nujoma from the top post, although the 75-year-old leader will continue to influence politics as Swapo party president.

Apart from Mugabe, Nujoma was the only African leader left in power since his country’s independence. – Sapa-AFP