Mbumba vows to protect press freedom – More top stories 1

President Nangolo Mbumba praised Namibia for continuing to rank high on press freedom in Africa and the world, and said the government remains committed to the cause.

Mbumba’s comments echo those of his predecessor, the late President Hage Geingob, who often emphasized the government’s commitment to press freedom.

In his message marking World Press Freedom Day on Friday, Mbumba said Namibia’s Constitution guarantees freedom of expression and the press, to which the country committed after a period in which these freedoms were previously denied.

“I join journalists in Namibia and around the world in commemorating World Press Freedom Day. As a nation, we made this commitment in the Constitution based on our historical experiences. We therefore value the government’s commitment to press freedom and will continue to live by the law,” Mbumba said in a statement on Friday.

“I must also add that this year’s theme, with a strong focus on environmental protection, resonates with the people of Namibia who have made environmental protection a constitutional provision,” he said.

Mbumba added that as the home of the 1991 Windhoek Declaration on Press Freedom and the country with the freest press in Africa, the Namibian government renews its commitment to promoting press freedom as a responsible and indispensable part of its architecture. of governance.

“On this day, we also remind journalists to live according to the ethics of an important profession in the democratic life of our country.

Our climate is facing an emergency with recurring droughts and floods affecting millions of lives and causing the destruction of infrastructure. In line with the theme of World Press Freedom Day 2024, I encourage journalists to exercise their right to educate and inform to promote the protection of the environment, including the prosperity and development of the people of Namibia,” he said .

This year’s theme is commemorated under the motto: ‘A press for the planet: journalism in the face of the environmental crisis’.
World Press Freedom Day is commemorated annually on May 3.