President Nangolo Mbumba says his decision to retire at the end of his presidential term was taken a long time ago.
At his swearing-in on February 4th this year, Dr. Mbumba made it clear that he would not be available for political office after finishing his presidential term.
Speaking during a wide-ranging interview with nbc News, President Mbumba explained that he, the late President Hage Geingob, and the Speaker of the National Assembly Professor Peter Katjavivi, who were all born in 1941, made the decision they would retire in 2025.
"I did not have to think twice that somehow I wanted to hang around after this. That was a decision that was taken a long, long time ago. And if I have to, you already said I'm 83. And if I have to become president at age 83, five years from now, I will be 88."
President Mbumba also pointed out that once he was sworn in, he had the power to create his own cabinet, but this was not a term of office he won in an election.
Dr. Mbumba made it clear that it was therefore important for him to maintain continuity and conclude the term of office of the late President Geingob.
"So, when we talk about completing his term of office, his last year of office, it's not because we don't have ideas of our own. If something is built, if something is not broken, don't fix it; don't start tinkling with it. If it was, if we were in a crisis, a decision I could take. I have taken the decision of life and death in exile. And now I am not worried about not taking decisions, but I'm not going to be forced to take decisions I don't want to take and I cannot live with."
President Mbumba also spoke about the legacy of Dr. Geingob and the leaders before him, making him proud to serve out the remainder of the presidential term of the late president.
"So, in that one, I will be happy to complete his term, his last year, knowing that Namibia is at peace. Namibia is stable. Namibia is improving. That Namibian child is going to school. Not the best of school yet, but we are continuing to improve."
President Mbumba will hand over power to a newly-elected president on March 21, 2025.