Monica Geingos: Response to malicious claims circulating on WhatsApp regarding ministerial appointments

It has come to my attention that there is an anonymous WhatsApp message in wide circulation titled, “Intelligence Agency Misleads Namibians and the President-Elect in Candidate Vetting.” While it is clear that the message is politically motivated, I struggle to understand why these dark forces saw it fit to fabricate a harmful narrative that centres my involvement in something as serious as the vetting of ministerial candidates. The facts are as follows:

1. 1. I became aware of Dr Luvindao’s appointment when it was publicly announced. I had no prior knowledge thereof;
2. 2. I have never spoken to any leader regarding the appointment of any individual, nor have I directly or indirectly recommended or influenced any ministerial appointment. The appointment of ministers is the sole prerogative of the President and I am surprised that there is an attempt to blame some of us who are peripheral to that process;
3. 3. I abhor corruption and agree with President Ndaitwah’s inaugural speech that it should be treated like treason. I resent that I need to reaffirm that I have no existing or past financial interest in the procurement processes of any state institution. The suggestion that I would influence appointments for personal gain is patently malicious, offensive and contrary to what I stand for;
4. 4. The gratuitous and persistent inclusion of my children in these types of smear campaigns reveals the mean-spirited intent of its authors. While there is no basis to attack me, I would like to appeal that at the very least, leave children out of these gutter politics;
5. 5. These anonymous messages are Machiavellian in nature and seek to trigger negative public perceptions of targeted individuals through the creation of false narratives. May we elevate our public discourse beyond these cheap politics and focus on the very real task of supporting President Nandi-Ndaitwah’s administration. I have endured unwarranted and malicious anonymous attacks for the last nine years of my life, despite my ambivalence to politics.

While these continued and cruel attacks are distressing to my family and I, the larger problem is that these low-level tactics are subversive of President Ndaitwah’s courageous and encouraging developmental agenda.