Uhuru attends Namibia's Independence Day celebrations on 21 March 2019 and awarded with the highest order of Welwitschia Mirabilis...
Uhuru attends Namibia's Independence Day celebrations on 21 March 2019 and awarded with the highest order of Welwitschia Mirabilis by the Namibian President Hage Geinkob. Image: PSCU.
Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday joined the illustrious alumni of the Namibian national honour’s roll, after the country bestowed on him the Grand Commander of the Order of the Most Ancient Welwitschia Mirabilis First Class.
President Hage Geingob conferred the country’s highest honour on his Kenyan counterpart during the29th Independence Day celebration at Independence Stadium in Windhoek. Kenyatta was the guest of honour during the celebrations of the national event. The honour on Kenyatta was a sign that Namibia remains eternally grateful to the people of Kenya for their generous contribution to Namibia’s independence. Kenya was among African countries that contributed troops in 1989 to be part of the United Nations Transition Assistance Group (UNTAG) that monitored and guaranteed security to the United Nations-led electoral process in Namibia.
President Hage Geinkob observes the NDF march-off during the Independence Day celebrations in Windhoek on 21 March 2019. Image: PSCU.
After Namibia declared independence on 21 March 1990, and redeployment of UNTAG troop, the Kenyan government agreed to the request to delay the redeployment of its troops help to preserve security and assist with the establishment of the Namibian Defence Force. “In the aftermath of the successful, free and fair elections of 1989, and our subsequent independence, Kenya was there to assist us until we became steady on our feet. When the rest of the UNTAG force departed, our Founding Father, Comrade Sam Nujoma, made a brotherly appeal to President Daniel Arap Moi, for the Kenyan Blue Helmet Contingent, under the leadership of Lieutenant General Daniel Ishmael Opande, to remain behind for three months, to help maintain stability, at the cost of the Kenyan Government,” Geingob narrated.
H.E. Hifikepunye Pohamba, madam Penohupifo Pohamba the founding father H.E. Sam Nujoma attending Namibian 29th Independence Celebration Day in Windhoek,
The Welwitschia Mirabilis honour, named after an ancient plant endemic only to the Namib Desert and is the highest honour that can be bestowed to the heads of state of foreign nations. The same honour was given to Angolan President Joao Lourenco in May 2018. The honour, a big medal in the shape of a sun and a sash with two yellow bands and green band in the middle is the highest honour on the Namibian honouring system as per the Conferment of National Honours as per the Act, 2012 (Act No. 11 of 2012).
On his Twitter account, Uhuru said, "Today (Thursday) I had the honour and pleasure of joining my friend and brother H.E. President Dr Hage Geingob and the wonderful people of Namibia in their country's Independence Day celebrations." ''I paid tribute to the selfless contribution of Namibia's liberation heroes including the late Kaptein Hendrik Witbooi, the late Chief Hosea Kutako, the late Andimba Toivo ya Toivo, the late Anna Mungunda, H.E. Hifikepunye Pohamba, and the founding father H.E. Sam Nujoma''.
In the close remark, Uhuru said, "I recalled former President Nujoma's words during his inaugural speech, "I would like to state, on this solemn and historic occasion, that our nation blazed the trail to freedom. It has risen to its feet. As from today, we are the masters of this vast land of our ancestors..." Uhuru urged African nations to strive to build and entrench peaceful, democratic and prosperous societies where our people can realise their full potential without discrimination or prejudice.
The Kenyan Head of State jetted into Namibia on Wednesday and will be in the country until Sunday while on his agenda of building Kenya-Namibia relations.
