National Pride Campaign Launched

Mathias Haufiku

28 April 2011

Windhoek — A motivational campaign to instill national pride among Namibians has been rolled out, and as of today, each Namibian is being asked to strive for the best in all they do for the sake of the country “doing only the best for our country”.

Students should aim at excelling at all levels, workers are being asked to push productivity levels to the optimal, while leaders are to provide leadership to the best of their ability, wisdom, honesty, accountability.

The compelling reason for all to do this, says President Hifikepunye Pohamba, should be “because I am a proud citizen”.

Citizens are encouraged to refrain from negative behaviour of littering in public spaces, indulging in violence either at home or in public, consuming alcohol in public, smoking especially by young people, and indecent language.

Positive attitudes of conservation and protection of natural environment, and all that promote general decent human behaviour are encouraged.

It is only with such sense of national pride, says the President, can the country attain the development programmes laid out in Vision 2030.

“It is our duty as citizens to contribute in whatever way we can, to bring about their attainment,” said Pohamba adding that the campaign is not for Government but a campaign for all Namibians.

“It provides a challenge and an opportunity for all Namibians to rally together under the theme “My Namibia, My Country, My Pride. Each one of us, young and old, whether we live in the urban areas or in rural areas, men and women, we have the right to claim that this is my Namibia,” said the President.

The slogan for the campaign is “A united nation is a Proud Nation”.

The campaign runs for the next five years, after which “an assessment will be made and [the] impact [of the campaign] is measured”, according to the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology.

Swapo Youth League Secretary, Elijah Ngurare, asked for the participation of young people saying this is essential to ensure the success of the campaign.

“They need to own this campaign and they need to appreciate it and above all, they need to find it cool and fashionable to say My Namibia, My Country, My Pride at all times,” Ngurare said.

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