With age comes experience…It’s time we move away from gender profiling
AS articulated by Swapo Veteran, lawyer and Commissioner for social affairs at the African Union Assembly Bience Gawanas, questions being raised over Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s right to go for the Swapo Presidency are a nonstarter.
After 32 years of Independence, why should our small democracy be held back because on someone’s gender moreover age.
Over the years, since Independence, no one has come forward to question the age of the three Presidents we have had this far.
They all came into office in their 60s and now that it is an experience woman, everyone has something to say.
It is high time Namibian women step up and show their males counterpart they have what it take to lead this country. Questioning one’s gender shows a lot need to be done on equality which Gawanas highlighted as one of the reasons so many of our freedom fighters fought for. Who are we then now, 32 years after Independence, to question Ndaitwah’s credentials to lead?
Over the years, this country has been dragged over serious corruption scandals involving top politicians but we choose to focus on one’s gender against checking against one’s involvement in corruption scandals which have dragged this country backward as evidenced by the harsh economic climate currently being experienced.
I believe the focus should be on what kind of qualities a leader should have in order to be a good leader not to say that the person is too old to occupy a presidential position as age is just a number. In most developed countries, it is believed age in politics brings experience and steadfast leadership but that seem not to be the case in our budding democracy.
The question we should ask ourselves now is who is capable for this position without looking at their.
age? Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah is currently seen as the front-runner, as the party vice president as she has all the qualities although she is running against an urban legend that says, ‘Namibia is not ready for a female president.
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Nandi-Ndaitwah has an impressive rap-sheet; she is the country’s Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of International Relations and Cooperation Namibia and Chairperson of the SADC Council of Ministers.’
She has been a member of the ruling party Swapo Central Committee from 1976 to 1986 and was President of the Namibian National Women’s Organisation (NANAWO) from 1991 to 1994, so obviously she is qualified and experienced enough for the position.