Namibian nationals have been outraged after learning that President Hage Geingob’s four children had joined the government’s emissaries to the COP28 climate summit.
The kids were among six of the president’s family members recorded as part of the Namibian delegation in Dubai.
The President’s office had confirmed that his children travelled to the city, but they had refuted claims that their trip was funded by the state.
The office had however said that President Geingob and Madame Geingos (the first lady) paid for the flights and accommodation expenses of their children.
The presidency had also added that the claims were malicious and premeditated to distract from the “excellent work” President Geingob and the Namibian delegation were doing at COP28.
However, some Namibians have rejected the president’s response as unacceptable, stating that it failed to prove that the travel of the President’s kids and his family members was privately funded.
Some critics have 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 secretly funded.
A Namibian MP, Inna Hengari had said that the country as a whole was expecting a comprehensive report to be presented in parliament.
This was after she had earlier criticised the government for reportedly sponsoring the travel of the president’s family. Especially when the presidency had claimed that it lacked funds to expedite the travel of an MP and a parliamentary official to COP28.
Several African governments including Nigeria, Tanzania and Kenya have defended the actions of their leaders sending large delegates.
They had said that a lot of the delegates were not state-funded as they were representing the media, civil society organisations and private institutions.
