Africa-Press – Namibia. THE office of former president Sam Nujoma have defended a meeting between Nujoma and the ex-Democratic Republic of Congo leader Joseph Kabila.
Nujoma’s senior special assistant Paul Shipale issued a statement on Wednesday claiming that the meeting between the two leaders at Walvis Bay was no secret.
He said Kabila visited Nujoma on 7 November 2021, after travelling from a South African university where he “defended his master’s thesis in political science on leadership in the DRC”.
The meeting attracted attention from several powerful individuals in Namibia and DRC. People familiar with this matter said the meeting between Nujoma and Kabila cropped up in a conversation between Geingob and current DRC president Felix Tshisekedi two weeks ago, with
Tshisekedi allegedly questioning Kabila’s trip to Namibia. Shipale said Nujoma and Kabila discussed matters of shared national interest and bilateral relations between the two countries.
“The two leaders recalled the longstanding fraternal bonds of friendship and solidarity that had existed between the people of the DRC and the people of Namibia.” Shipale said Kabila thanked Namibia for the political, material and diplomatic support it had provided to the DRC.
“Kabila said the people of Namibia demonstrated their kindness, humanity, and ubuntu, in the spirit of pan-Africanism, not only to the DRC, but also to other SADC member states.”
Shipale said Nujoma was initially invited to the coast for a cleaning campaign, accompanied by environment minister Pohamba Shifeta, Kunene governor Marius Sheya and Namidaman Traditional Authority chief Jeremiah Gaobaeb.
The Namibian established that Kabila and a 28-strong security detail in 10 vehicles entered the country at Oranjemund from Cape Town, South Africa, on 6 November, and spent two weeks in Namibia.
Kabila’s trip was undertaken as a global media investigation was finalising an exposé on how between N$2,2 billion and N$3,6 billion was embezzled from the DRC during his last term in office. Kabila has since threatened to sue The Namibian for two articles published this month.
For More News And Analysis About Namibia Follow Africa-Press
