EDITORIAL: Presidency must unmask US trip funders

Without compassion, everyone is worse off. Compassion is the wish for suffering to cease. And that’s what Namibians of good conscience wish for President Hage Geingob, who bravely and transparently shared the sad news of his cancer diagnosis.

Like we have stated in this column on Tuesday, President Geingob’s sole focus right now should be his health. The statement by his office this week that some unidentified bleeding-hearted people have stepped in to have him flown to the USA for treatment was meant to paint a picture of not only transparency, but also enhance his reputation as far as handling of public resources is concerned. In the end, it did neither. If anything, it stirred up a hornet’s nest of suspicion and a cocktail of conspiracy theories.

Firstly, the president is fully entitled to high-end medical treatment. Thus, it wouldn’t have been out of character for the state to foot his medical bill anywhere in the world. But if the president was keen on accepting the generosity of the unidentified funders and save public resources, it would have been a class act – but also an obligation – to lift the masks off their faces.

With identities and the motive for assistance unknown, State House has tilled the soil for agitation and suspense. Yet, what President Geingob needed in this critical time was an outpouring empathy and well-wishes. Like we stated on Tuesday, this is no time for politics, but for recovery.