Namibia’s former president has been in Ghana this weekend to receive the world’s biggest cash prize to an individual. Each year the Mo Ibrahim prize awards five-million-us-dollars to an African leader who has governed well and then left power peacefully.
The Mo Ibrahim Foundation was established in 2006 with a focus on the critical importance of leadership and governance in Africa. By providing tools to support progress in leadership and governance, the Foundation aims to promote meaningful change on the continent. Hifikepunye Pohamba served two terms as Namibia’s president before stepping down earlier this year.
“It was indeed a lovely surprise. That night I did not sleep well. I slept and woke up…what had they seen? And that’s when I realised that apparently we had been doing well. The outsiders had been observing us. And I say, to my colleagues, particularly at the time when I was leaving the office, “Let’s keep the principles that we have sent for ourselves, in the constitution, in having the country running in principles of the rule of law, democracy, peace and stability.” said Hifikepunye Pohamba, Former Namibian President.
