WINDHOEK: Maria Namundjebo, who previously worked with the late President Hage Geingob as presidential photographer, has described Geingob as a leader and mentor who motivated her to follow her dreams.
Namundjebo is currently a policy analyst in the Office of the President, but previously served as senior presidential photographer for former presidents Sam Nujoma, Hifikepunye Pohamba, as well as the late Geingob.
Namundjebo in an interview with Nampa described the late president as a leader and mentor who motivated her to surpass her dreams, and encouraged others to be exceptional and efficient at service delivery. She told this agency that she met Geingob when he was Namibia’s prime minister.
‘I then worked for the late president from 2015 to 2019 and I had the privilege of traveling around the world with him, covering national duties whether local or international, and capturing great moments of the late president’s life. I was able to witness his commitment to serving the people of Namibia with humility
, integrity, and compassion,’ she said.
Although she captured moments of the late president for the world to see, Namundjebo shared that through the lens, she saw a man of vision and unparalleled leadership skills. She remembered him as being a person full of jokes, yet always supportive of her career choices, while further describing him as someone who cared for his nation and his team.
‘I still remember in 2019 when I took study leave for a month to prepare for my exams, upon returning to the office he asked where I’d been, and before I could answer he asked me not to lie. I told him, Comrade President, I was on study leave. He then asked what I was studying and I said I was doing my Master’s Degree in International Relations, Diplomacy, and Management. He was so happy and encouraged me to keep up my studies while acknowledging my photography skills,’ said Namundjebo.
She noted that the late president impacted her career and the media as he would always be respectful and dedicated during his time with th
e media.
‘He was a remarkable and supportive leader whose caring spirit impacted the whole nation,’ Namundjebo said.
Source: The Namibia Press Agency
Female Genital Mutilation (FGM) in Kajiado County is still rampant, despite the practice being outlawed in Kenya in 2011.
According to the Kenya Demographic Health Survey (KDHS) 2022, the prevalence of FGM in Kajiado County is at 63 per cent, with emerging trends such as medicalisation and cross-border practice of the vice contributing to the high numbers.
However, despite the high prevalence rate, no FGM cases have been reported and successfully prosecuted at the Kajado Law Courts since 2011.
Speaking at Enkorika, Kajiado Central, during a sensitisation forum on sexual and gender-based violence organised by the International Association of Women Judges (IAWJ) and Kajiado Court Users Committee, Roselyn Oganyo, Kajiado Chief Magistrate, revealed that there are currently zero active FGM cases at the Kajiado courts.
Oganyo noted that FGM is often carried out in secrecy; therefore, the culprits are never brought to court, and there are hardly any witnesses willing to testify, making it hard to prosecute the c
ases.
‘There is very low reporting of FGM cases, the practice is deeply rooted in culture and done in secrecy. The perpetrators are never brought to court, with witnesses often bailing out for fear of reprisals by the community, ‘she said.
Pamela Achieng’, Senior Principal Magistrate, reiterated Oganyo’s sentiments, adding that FGM survivors are often denied justice as the cases are never brought to court.
She urged the community to report the cases to the police and authorities so that they are brought to court and perpetrators prosecuted.
‘We encourage the community to take charge and report such cases so as to protect the girl child from this harmful practice. As a court, we do not see FGM cases in courts, but when you go to the rescue centres, you will find many girls who were mutilated and others who were rescued before being cut,’ she added.
The magistrate warned that FGM was illegal in Kenya and is a criminal offence under the prohibition of the Female Genital Mutilation Act 2011, the Children’s A
ct, and the penal code.
‘Any person who conducts FGM or pays someone else to conduct the practice or provides his or her premises for it to be carried out, is guilty of an offence. Failure to report the act and possession of instruments used in FGM is also a crime,’ she noted.
Furthermore, a person convicted of these offenses can go to prison for between three and seven years, and be fined up to Sh500,000 Kenyan shillings.
Alex Labarakwe from the Witness Protection Agency said that the reason why these cases go unreported is because the people involved in this practice are either people from the government or parents of the victims, and because of intimidation and threats from them, members of the community choose not to take action.
According to Beatrice Oluoch, AMREF Health Africa, there is need to strengthen the reporting systems and the Witness Protection Agency so as to encourage the community to report FGM cases without fear of victimisation.
Oluoch said FGM is deeply rooted in culture, and witness
es fear reporting the cases to avoid being ostracised by the community.
‘FGM is deeply rooted in culture, so there is a need to strengthen the witness protection agency to ensure that witnesses can report FGM cases without fear of victimisation by the community.’ She said.
Oluoch further called for the adoption of the Alternative Rite of Passage (ARP), which retains cultural rituals and ceremonies in the transition to womanhood while replacing the harmful ‘cut’ by sexual and reproductive health rights education and the promotion of girls’ education.
Source: Kenya News Agency