President Hage Geingob said he understands the nation’s distress and sympathises with those who lost jobs.

Delivering the State of the Nation Address in Windhoek Thursday, Geingob also said he understands the pain of the small and large business owners and that of the entrepreneurs whose businesses have closed or face the risk of closure due to economic pressures.

“While the past five years have been challenging as a result of the global economic downturn and protracted drought, the past four months have been particularly daunting,” Geingob said, adding that all of humanity has been affected by COVID-19 and there is no doubt that survival will require a collective effort.

According to Geingob, lives have been disrupted and financial security placed in jeopardy, with uncertainty and anxiety looming large.

“I share in your anxieties. I understand your distress as breadwinners of our households. Many of you may lose or have already lost your income. I sympathise with you.

“I understand the pain of our small and large business owners and entrepreneurs, whose businesses have closed or face the risk of closure due to economic pressures.

“I share the concerns of our learners, students and youth, whose academic year has been upended by this crisis. I also understand the frustration of graduates who face fewer economic opportunities under the prevailing circumstances.

“I share the plight of the poor and the vulnerable, who face sleepless nights because of homelessness and hunger.
This is the defining hour for this generation. This is the challenge of our time,” he said.

Geingob urged Namibians to unite in order to unite. He said Namibians will endure if the people stand firm in unity of purpose and take collective action to build a better society.