I never said apartheid was worse than genocide – Geingob

President Hage Geingob has backtracked on his comments on the apartheid government being worse than the German regime’s genocide on the Nama and Ovaherero communities.

In response to criticism of these comments, the Presidency yesterday issued a statement to clarify the head of state’s words.

During a public lecture at the Paris Institute of Political Studies last month at which reconciliation between Germany and Namibia was discussed, Geingob said the apartheid regime was worse than the genocide regime.

He said: “Reconciliation of Germany and Namibia is there. We have diplomatic relations, we have peace. This genocide happened how many years ago? Over 100 years ago.

“After that, the South Africans took over. They were worse, and then Swapo started to fight to free the country.”

The president’s statement was not welcomed in Namibia, with politicians, scholars, traditional authorities and the general public speaking out against his sentiments.

Presidential press secretary Alfredo Hengari yesterday claimed Geingob did not compare the two atrocities.

“Without comparing the German genocide against the Nama and Ovaherero communities, the president stated as a matter of fact that the apartheid regime of South Africa was equally worse,” Hengari said.

He said Geingob met with German chancellor Olaf Scholz during his trip to the United Nations General Assembly (Unga).

“Geingob raised the unfinished business of genocide and specifically the quantum with the federal chancellor of Germany,” Hengari said.

Political analyst Basilius Kasera has labelled the president’s remarks as irresponsible.

“It is uncalled for and undermines the various levels of cruelty carried out against Namibians,” he said.

Kasera said Geingob’s words undermine ongoing reparation negotiations.

“And legitimises Germany’s continuation to undermine the demands of the Ovaherero, Nama, Damara and San, who paid the ultimate price for liberation,” he said.

The first reparation agreement between Namibia and Germany was perceived by the affected communities as the European country trying to undersell them with the €1,1 billion offer.

At the time, this translated to N$18,6 billion over 10 years.

Kasera said the liberation struggle did not begin with apartheid.

“It was since the first colonisers stepped foot on this land, literally over 130 years before apartheid. This comparison was ignorant, insensitive and unacceptable,” he said.

Previously responding to Geingob’s remarks, political analyst Kae Matundu and genocide activist Sima Luipert both said the president and his administration never believed in fighting for reparations.

Official opposition leader McHenry Venaani said Geingob’s remarks were divisive, opened up old wounds, and risked stigmatising the affected communities.

This is not the first time the president has had to clarify statements.

Earlier this year during the annual opening of the Cabinet, Geingob said he had never seen children being taught under trees.

“This other thing I saw which is now prominent is children being taught under the trees. I have travelled to this country, and I have never seen this before. Under the trees,” he said.

However, in his race to the Presidency in 2014, the president said under his leadership he would eradicate teaching under trees.

“No child should be taught under a tree. This must be addressed during the second phase of the struggle, which is economic emancipation,” he remarked.

The president then lashed out at critics.

“They are out to get me,” he said earlier this year.

GEINGOB’S ANNUAL US TRIP

Speaking on the president’s message at the Unga, Kasera said Geingob’s address gives the impression that the country has achieved a lot in terms of improving the human index, but does so in generic terms.

“Secondly, although the speech acknowledges economic challenges, it soon ventures into painting a rosy picture of initiatives to mobilise capital,” he said.

He added that Geingob is using the pandemic and drought as easy scapegoats.

“These hardships are thriving because of an endemic unhealthy socio-economic environment, such as corruption, indiscipline to follow through on policies and programmes, poor work ethics in the public service and mismanagement,” Kasera said.

The Presidency said Geingob’s address was mainly focused on the need to put the 17 Sustainable Development Goals back on track in addition to Namibia’s progress on its green hydrogen initiative.