President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s commissioning of seven new heads of mission signals an important moment for Namibia’s diplomatic future. The appointments, to Nigeria, Belgium, Zambia, Ghana, Japan, Egypt, and Zimbabwe, arrive at a time when the nation is recalibrating its foreign policy to centre economic diplomacy, investment attraction, and strategic global partnerships.
The President’s message was clear and firm: these envoys must prioritise national development interests and project a credible Namibian profile to the world.
The newly appointed ambassadors deserve sincere congratulations. Walde Natangwe Ndevashiya, Alfredo Tjirimo Hengari, Goms Menette, Ndiyakupi Nghituwamata, Rosina //Hoabes, Weich Murcle Uapendura Mupya, and David Thomas now shoulder a role of immense responsibility. Each brings some measure of public service experience, whether in administration, communication, governance, or leadership.
But this moment demands more than resumes or political histories. It demands a reaffirmation that diplomatic appointments must ultimately reflect merit, capacity, and commitment to the national interest, not allegiance to individuals, factions, or political networks.
This is where the President’s message should resonate most deeply. The ambassadors are not being deployed as representatives of a political circle, nor as beneficiaries of the familiar and corrosive practice of rewarding comrades for loyalty.
They are being sent out as servants of the Republic, sworn to uphold the Constitution and protect Namibia’s strategic interests. Too often in our political culture, diplomatic appointments have been interpreted, at home and abroad, as political thank-you notes rather than carefully assessed selections based on competence and the ability to deliver results. That perception weakens our diplomatic credibility and does a disservice to the nation.
President Nandi-Ndaitwah’s mandate emphasises economic diplomacy, investment mobilisation, and partnership-building. This is not a ceremonial call; it is a performance-based expectation. In this era, embassies are not retirement posts or consolation prizes.
They are extensions of Namibia’s development machinery. Whether the appointees come from political structures, regional leadership, administrative posts, or municipal governance, they must demonstrate skill, innovation, and discipline in executing their duties. The stakes are simply too high for mediocrity or symbolic representation.
Namibia is on the cusp of transformative opportunities: green hydrogen, logistics expansion, energy transition minerals, agriculture revitalisation, tourism growth, and technological partnerships.
None of this potential will materialise without skilled diplomats who can market the country effectively, negotiate smartly, and cultivate trust with investors, governments, and development institutions. These missions require technical fluency and economic insight, not merely political loyalty.
If any of the appointees lack experience in investment promotion or international economic engagement, then they must acquire it rapidly. The world of economic diplomacy is unforgiving, and Namibia cannot afford envoys who are learning on the job at the pace of global competition. There is no room for passive representation. The ambassadors must be proactive economic foot soldiers, identifying opportunities, initiating partnerships, and driving Namibia’s interests with clarity and competence.
Neatly stated: this is not about appeasing factions or rewarding comrades. It is about advancing Namibia. If these appointments are to earn the confidence of the public and the international community, the ambassadors must demonstrate that their allegiance is to the state, not to individuals; to the national interest, not to factional politics. Their oath demands as much.
In countries such as Nigeria, Belgium, Japan, or Egypt, political diplomacy is deeply intertwined with economic ambition. Namibia must match that energy. Ambassador Ndevashiya must build bridges into West Africa’s most vibrant economy. Ambassador Hengari, with his background in communication, must translate Namibia’s policy priorities into compelling European advocacy.
Ambassador Nghituwamata must convert her administrative experience into meaningful agricultural and water partnerships with Ghana. Ambassador //Hoabes must open doors in Japan’s competitive investment ecosystem. Ambassador Menette, Ambassador Mupya, and Ambassador Thomas must likewise ensure that Namibia’s regional and continental interests are advanced with professionalism and purpose.
But none of this will be possible if the ambassadors perceive their roles through the lens of factional loyalty rather than national duty. Diplomatic credibility is not earned by proximity to power, but by effective representation, ethical conduct, and strategic impact. Their performance, whether successful or weak, reflects not only on the President who appointed them, but on Namibia as a whole.
It is therefore imperative that these diplomats embody the values of integrity, accountability, and national unity. As the President asserted, they must project a credible national profile. That credibility begins with the moral clarity that their service belongs to the people of Namibia. The Constitution they swore to uphold is not a symbolic document; it is a contract that places the nation above personal allegiance.
As Namibia strengthens its international presence, we must insist that diplomatic appointments be grounded in merit, ability, and vision. The seven newly appointed heads of mission now have the opportunity, and the obligation, to prove that they are not merely political appointees, but patriotic professionals committed to delivering results for Namibia. Their success or failure will shape not only foreign policy outcomes but the public trust in the process that placed them there.
As they embark on their missions, we extend congratulations, but also expectations. The country they represent is larger than any faction, broader than any political legacy, and more deserving than any reward system built on loyalty. Their task is service to Namibia, and Namibia alone.
