The official portrait of the incoming President, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, was unveiled at the Old State House today.
The portrait of the incoming President was done earlier to have it displayed on poles around Windhoek, along with the Namibian and African Union flags, as part of the independence celebrations and swearing-in of the incoming president.
The official portrait will also be hung in offices and government institutions.
While unveiling her portrait, the incoming President said Namibians should not look at it as a Nandi-Ndaitwah portrait but as a picture of the authority they elected to lead.
"It's now my honour and agreement to officially unveil this portrait and to surrender myself to the people of the Republic of Namibia. I am ready to serve them to the best of my ability at all times, and you are free to use my image in the best interest of all of you. When you are looking here, you are looking at the authority that Namibia has, that you have decided yourself."
The Minister of Information and Communication Technology, Emma Theofelus, said official portraits serve as a powerful political tool and help establish and maintain authority in public.
The ministry was entrusted with overseeing the portrait production.
"Official portraits serve as a powerful political tool in many countries in the world; they help to establish and maintain the authority of rulers and religious figures in the public eye. We believe that this still stands today, and that is why in many democracies, the portraits of leaders of a nation are portrayed by the government and sometimes even non-governmental institutions, and who stabilises the authority of that land, the Ministry of Information and the first vice president's portrait in 2024, and now began the portrait of Namibia's first female President."
The portrait was captured by Namibian photographer Mercia Windwaai from MICT, and the copyright will rest with the ministry.
The Executive Director in the ministry, Dr. Audrin Mathe, explained that the two former presidents' portraits have been a challenge to obtain the copyright because they have been photographed by private entities.
Presidential portraits are of great significance to the people and government and demonstrate respect for the highest office.