The Namibian government has dropped plans to serve extra dishes like Greek salad to VIPs during next week’s independence day celebrations after a spate of criticism on social media.
The criticism which flooded the social media following the announcement of official events to mark the 33 years of independence of the country which will hold in Outapi, the capital of the northern region of Omusati, next Tuesday.
The social media outrage followed the leaking of the proposed menu in a letter to Omusati Governor, Erginus Endjala, who is the chairman of the organizing committee for the celebrations.
According to the leaked letter, the caterers were instructed to prepare the following special meals for the special guests including the Greek salad.
The leaked letter said for the public, the menu would include potato salad, butternut, rice, fried beef and fish, while for the VIPs and foreign dignitaries, the menu included extras like Greek salad, steamed carrots, maize pap (porridge made from maize meal), mahangu pap (porridge made from millet flour), baked fish and game stew.
But the government was forced to drop the high end menu list following the public outrage over the perceived “elitist tendencies.”
was summed up in Wednesday’s headline in the Namibian Sun: “U-turn on ‘lords and peasants’ independence menu”.
A statement by the country’s Ministry of Information on Thursday said the government has decided to shelve the Greek salad and other exotic foods for the ceremonies.
“We have realised that the proposal was far-fetched from reality. The menu was revised and the public will now have more food than the VIPs,” the statement said.
Audrin Mathe, a senior officer in the Ministry who also confirmed that the plans have been jettisoned, said it would have seen the government spending around $134,000 for this year’s independence day celebrations.