Namibian President Geingob under fire for taking his four children as delegates to COP28 in Dubai

The President of Namibia, President Hage Geingob, is facing severe criticism from the country’s citizens after it emerged that he had enlisted his four children among the delegation for the COP28 climate summit in Dubai, UAE.

Apart from Geingob’s four children, it was also revealed that six of the president’s family members were also listed as part of Namibia’s delegation in Dubai.

Trouble started after a post on X by the Namibian Presidency confirming that the President’s four children namely Kayla Elago, Nino Kalondo, Dangos Geingos, and Nangula Geingob, were part of six family members travelling to Dubai.

With the tweet going viral and Namibians pouring their outrage against the president, the presidency came up with a defence claiming President Geingob and his wife, Madame Geingos, paid for the flights and accommodation expenses of their children.

“The Namibian public and the media should be rest assured that not a single cent of public funds has been spent on the children of the first couple,” the post said.

The presidency added that the claims were “malicious and politically motivated” and intended to distract from the “excellent work” by President Geingob and the Namibian delegation at COP28.

But that has not dissuaded Namibians from voicing their anger and have dismissed the presidency’s response as unsatisfactory, saying it fails to prove that the travel of President’s Geingob’s children and his family members was privately funded.

Some critics have also asked the president to explain the role of his family members at COP28 and why they were listed on the government’s delegation if their trip was privately funded.

Some others also took to the X platform to chastise the Head of State for alleged misuse of public funds by sponsoring his children for the trip without explaining what their role at the summit COP28 was.

Join the conversation

Opinions

Support Ripples Nigeria, hold up solutions journalism

Balanced, fearless journalism driven by data comes at huge financial costs.

As a media platform, we hold leadership accountable and will not trade the right to press freedom and free speech for a piece of cake.

If you like what we do, and are ready to uphold solutions journalism, kindly donate to the Ripples Nigeria cause.

Your support would help to ensure that citizens and institutions continue to have free access to credible and reliable information for societal development.

Donate Now