3 August 2024
Today is indeed a special day, a day to be savoured. However, it is also a bittersweet day, a day when we remember a big man with a big heart.
A man who rose from humble beginnings and who fearlessly traversed the path of destiny to become the third president of the Republic of Namibia.
Some 83 years ago, on this day, president Hage Geingob entered this world. Although we all wish we could celebrate this day in a different setting, we accept that in the wake of his untimely passing, we are left to bestow upon this gallant son of the Namibian soil an honour befitting of his stature, and most importantly, his invaluable contribution to the advancement of Namibia and her people.
The Chinese philosopher Confucius once said roads were made for journeys, not destinations. Indeed, president Geingob’s life can be described as a journey – a journey of purpose. He has left behind footprints that are near and those that are far. It is therefore apt that this road, which leads to the airport which is named after another valiant son of Namibia, chief Hosea Kutako, whom president Geingob met and received a blessing from on his way into exile, will now be named after this great patriot – our dearly departed president.
It is no surprise that president Geingob, who was fortunate enough to receive his blessing from chief Hosea Kutako, returned to this country as a leader for all Namibians, irrespective of gender, tribe, race, language or religion, thereby cementing his legacy as a generational icon, in Namibia, Africa and the world at large.
Since independence, the Government has placed a high premium on the expansion, improvement and continued development of Namibia’s infrastructure with the understanding that world class road networks, railways, airports and ports are enablers of economic growth, job creation and regional integration.
At present, the length of the national road network of Namibia is approximately 49 202,9km, comprising 8 036,9km of bitumen surfaced roads, 26 054,7km of gravel roads and others, which I will not list in the interest of brevity.
Roads are the arteries through which the economy beats. They carry the lifeblood that feeds our nation’s ambitions for sustainable development and our aspirations for shared economic prosperity. Our roads, as well as other transport infrastructure, are vital to the performance of some of our critical economic sectors such as logistics, retail, wholesale, construction, manufacturing and mining, to name a few. These sectors fundamentally rely on our road networks to move materials and goods around the country and beyond our borders.
In this regard, our road transport sector accounts for nearly 72% of all cargo transport. Roads connect Namibia to its regional neighbours via four major corridors which are the Walvis Bay-Ndola-Lubumbashi Development Corridor (2 690km), the Trans-Oranje Development Corridor (1 550km), the Trans-Kalahari Development Corridor (1 366km), and the Trans-Kunene Development Corridor (1 551km).
I am informed that the Hosea Kutako International Airport road forms part of the Transport Infrastructure Improvement Project (TIIP) and entails the construction of a new freeway between Windhoek and our international airport, upgrading the existing road to dual carriageway standards.
While I commend the Ministry of Works and Transport, the Roads Authority, and all stakeholders involved in this project for a sterling job that has lived up to the high performance standards of president Hage Geingob, I encourage you to continue achieving these significant milestones by endeavouring to complete all current and planned road projects in all the 14 regions of our country.
As our country continues to grow, there will be added pressure on our existing transport infrastructure. There is therefore a need to make sufficient investments in improving and modernising our roads.
I am aware that economic fortunes have not been favourable over the past several years, but this should not hinder us from working hard to continue developing our country.
Our desire to work together, our commitment to build a better country for all Namibians should always be greater than the weight of any challenges we may face.
It’s never easy to achieve excellence. It’s never easy to scale the heights of ambition and sit atop the summit of success. President Geingob showed us the way to excellence. He showed us the way to success.
This road will stand as a testament to his belief in nationhood, his message of unity and inclusivity, his ideals of accountability and transparency, and most importantly, his vision of an inclusive Namibian House in which no one must feel left out.
He has left us a rich and proud legacy, a legacy reflected in his beloved wife Madam Monica Geingos, his dear children and extended family who are here to witness this historic moment.
President Geingob was a transformational leader who paved a road towards prosperity. He challenged us to hold hands as One Namibia, One Nation, in order to take the journey down that road.
Therefore, today, we take pride in naming this magnificent stretch of highway after his cherished memory. From this day on, it shall be known as Dr Hage G Geingob Freeway in honour of a heroic son of the soil, a loving husband, a proud father and a distinguished servant of the Namibian people.
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