WINDHOEK – President Hifikepunye Pohamba has strongly condemned tribalism, which, he says, is slowly rearing its ugly head in government and society at large.

The President made the remarks while officiating at the opening of the Swapo Party Women’s Council (SPWC) Central Committee meeting on Saturday.

Although he did not mention any particular incident, the President’s call follows an incident in which Minister of Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture, Kazenambo Kazenambo, aka “KK”, was embroiled in a nasty tribally intoned public spat with a local journalist.
The Youth, National Service, Sport and Culture Minister, whom Pohamba appointed in March 2010, is alleged to have aimed a tribal attack on Oshiwambo-speaking people and Cabinet ministers from that tribe, during an interview with the journalist.

Kazenambo has denied the accusations, insisting that although he was “provoked” by the journalist, he did not attack any tribe as widely reported in the press.

The minister, who confiscated the journalist’s tape recorder for over a week, has since caused the recording of their conversation to be deleted before his lawyers returned the device to the journalist last Friday.

President Pohamba is yet to comment publicly on the incident, although New Era has it on good authority that the minister was summoned to State House on Tuesday last week as the head of state continued to seek clarity on the matter.

Two days later, on Thursday, the top-four leaders of the ruling Swapo Party – Pohamba, Vice-President Dr Hage Geingob, Secretary General Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana and Deputy Secretary General Nangolo Mbumba – met again to discuss this and other matters.

And on Saturday, the President did not hide his displeasure at tribalism, saying Namibians needed not look far because Angola, one of Namibia’s neighbouring countries, had endured years of civil unrest as a result of tribalism.

He cited as an example how now deceased Angolan rebel leader Jonas Savimbi fueled tribal tensions in that country and how all citizens were affected by war that resulted from it.
“Similar incidences happened in Rwanda and Somalia and we cannot afford to follow this path,” the President said.

He added: “Put Namibia first and not tribalism or regionalism. One Namibia One Nation, not many nations.”
He implored citizens to see themselves as Namibians first and above their tribal identities, saying this was crucial for the country’s development and harmony.

The government last year launched a campaign dubbed ‘My Namibia, My Country, My Pride’, meant to promote oneness and harmony.