Police vessel named after Pohamba

NAMIBIA’s former President Hifikepunye Pohamba has a police vessel named after him. The ‘Dr Hifikepunye Pohamba’ police patrol vessel was commissioned at the jetty of the Ministry of Fisheries and Marine Resources at Walvis Bay on Friday.

The high powered vessel, bought from Spain, is the first vessel of the Namibian Police and will be used in patrols, search and rescue and law enforcement operations in Namibia’s territorial waters. It will supplement the efforts of the navy and the ministry of fisheries in crime prevention and marine resources protection. The vessel was named after Pohamba to honour him as former President, but more particularly for his role in establishing the Namibian Police Force, which started under him as the first minister of home affairs. This was before the Ministry of Safety and Security took over as governing body of the police.

The event was also attended by the Spanish ambassador to Namibia, Conception Figuerola Santos, Inspector General of the Namibian Police and Interpol vice president Sebastian Ndeitunga, and Swapo secretary general and former minister of safety and security Nangolo Mbumba.

Santos said maritime space and its protection was crucial to Spain and Namibia’s relationship and economies because of the fisheries resources in which both nations share an interest.

Ndeitunga said more such vessels are needed for the police’s water wing; also to work in the major rivers at Namibia’s nothern border.

“We trust that the vessel will have the same will and spirit as Pohamba, and that it will bear a distinction internationally for its name after our former President,” said Mbumba.

Pohamba said that he was honoured by President Hage Geingob’s approval and endorsement that the vessel be named after him.