President Hage Geingob is begging Namibians angry over his children being on the list of delegates to the COP28 climate summit. 

Mr Geingob’s plea came after Namibians discovered that his four children joined the government’s delegation to the summit in Dubia. 

The four children, Kayla Elago, Nino Kalondo, Dangos Geingos, and Nangula Geingob, were among the six of Mr Geingob’s family members listed as part of Namibia’s delegation in the COP28 summit.

Reacting in a terse statement on Monday, Mr Geingob said his children paid for their expenses themselves, and not a single cent of public funds was spent.

“President Geingob and Madame Geingos (first lady) paid for the flights and accommodation expenses of their children. The Namibian public and the media should rest assured that not a single cent of public funds has been spent on the children of the first couple,” the Namibian Presidency said on X on Monday. 

Many Namibians have dismissed the presidency’s response as unsatisfactory, noting that the denial did not disclose how the children’s trip was funded. 

Critics of Mr Geingob also asked the president to explain the role of his family members at the COP28 and why they were listed on the government’s delegation. 

Namibians’ outrage further echoes the wider criticism against African leaders for sending large delegations to COP28, with many citizens questioning the financial extravagance. 

The African countries, which included Nigeria and Kenya, have defended their actions, revealing that many of their delegates were not state-funded.