NAMIBIA’S YOUNGEST MP CHALLENGES PRESIDENT GEINGOB TO TAKE SALARY CUT OR GO WITHOUT LIKE HH
The youngest parliamentarian in Namibia, Inna Koviao Hengari, 26, has challenged President Hage Gottfried Geingob, 80, and other African leaders to take salary cuts or go without, like some of their peers on the continent.
Hengari, from the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), was speaking in Parliament, saying it would be an act of good faith.
“There’s a recent trend in southern Africa and the politics of Sub-Saharan Africa in most countries. You look at Rwanda, you look at Zambia; the president of Zambia, Hakainde Hichilema, has gone for eight months without a salary. President Paul Kagame [Rwanda], when he came into power, took a salary cut as a sign and symptom of nobility, and to instill a sense of sharing among the citizens.
Hengari said: “So, as a young person, my question is: when is the president taking a cut on his salary? Or if ever he’s going to take a position where he says ‘for these next few months, because of the poverty, because of the ongoing conditions in the education system and so forth, I, as president and head of state, am going to take a salary cut’.”
“Is that ever going to happen? Honourable minister (to the speaker of Parliament), should we look forward to that?” she asked.
Credit: Today