Work Together For Good Governance
UNTENABLE situations have developed at a few town councils in the country and political parties need to get their acts together to work for the betterment of their communities.
In the cases of Usakos and Karibib, Government itself has resorted
to writing to Swapo expressing concern about the leadership vacuum
in those towns, following the ruling party's refusal to work with
opposition members on the newly-elected councils.
Administration of those towns has in the meantime been brought
to a standstill as the wrangling continues.
Slightly different, but nevertheless worrying, circumstances
have paralysed local government in both Ongwediva and Opuwo.
In the former case, differences within the ruling party over the
elected candidates has resulted in the negation of their election
and replacement by substitute candidates on the lists.
This matter is currently in court, but in the meantime, the
people of that town have already started protesting what they
construe as interference from the hierarchy of Swapo.
The ruling party may well argue, in this case, that it is the
Party's prerogative to choose candidates on the list.
But perhaps more importantly, people of those towns feel that
there is little point in holding elections at all, if they cannot
choose the candidates themselves; and they go further to even
question whether there is any point to democracy under such
conditions.
In a separate case in Opuwo, Swapo may have a slightly more
legitimate basis to question the voters list where they allege
people not living in the town had been allowed to vote.
Nevertheless, what is worrying in all these cases is that the
administration of these towns is in limbo, sometimes because of
petty squabbles that should not be allowed to interfere with the
day-to-day running of affairs.
Worse still, is the fact that in Usakos and Karibib it appears
as though the standstill is primarily due to the ruling party,
which does not seem to accept the outcome of the elections, or the
prospect of working together with other parties for the wellbeing
of the towns and their people.
In this case, all the parties should be encouraged to put aside
their differences once the elections have been held and candidates
chosen.
It is important then that they get to work in order to exercise
the mandate that people have given their elected representatives
and to get on the with the business of managing these towns.
In the case of Ongwediva, Swapo needs to take note that
democracy should be a bottom-up affair, and candidates should be
chosen by the people they are going to represent, rather than by
the hierarchy of the Party who may have their own preferences and
agendas.
The actions of Swapo in Ongwediva seem to be totally
counter-productive in terms of their support base, and the
demonstration there this week is proof that all is not well.
The fact that in cases such as Ongwediva, these matters are
ending up in the courts, is also taking up both time and money,
while the administration of the town continues to suffer.
Worse still, it is causing people to question the most basic
tenets of democracy: the right of people to elect the
representatives of their choice, whether they be from Swapo or
opposition political parties.
Perhaps the swift resolution of the abovementioned cases can
constitute a challenge for the Swapo Secretary General, now
president-in-waiting, for the sake of both the townspeople as well
as democracy itself.
We would call for an urgent resolution in the interests of both
the above.
Administration of those towns has in the meantime been brought to a
standstill as the wrangling continues.Slightly different, but
nevertheless worrying, circumstances have paralysed local
government in both Ongwediva and Opuwo.In the former case,
differences within the ruling party over the elected candidates has
resulted in the negation of their election and replacement by
substitute candidates on the lists.This matter is currently in
court, but in the meantime, the people of that town have already
started protesting what they construe as interference from the
hierarchy of Swapo.The ruling party may well argue, in this case,
that it is the Party's prerogative to choose candidates on the
list.But perhaps more importantly, people of those towns feel that
there is little point in holding elections at all, if they cannot
choose the candidates themselves; and they go further to even
question whether there is any point to democracy under such
conditions.In a separate case in Opuwo, Swapo may have a slightly
more legitimate basis to question the voters list where they allege
people not living in the town had been allowed to
vote.Nevertheless, what is worrying in all these cases is that the
administration of these towns is in limbo, sometimes because of
petty squabbles that should not be allowed to interfere with the
day-to-day running of affairs.Worse still, is the fact that in
Usakos and Karibib it appears as though the standstill is primarily
due to the ruling party, which does not seem to accept the outcome
of the elections, or the prospect of working together with other
parties for the wellbeing of the towns and their people.In this
case, all the parties should be encouraged to put aside their
differences once the elections have been held and candidates
chosen.It is important then that they get to work in order to
exercise the mandate that people have given their elected
representatives and to get on the with the business of managing
these towns.In the case of Ongwediva, Swapo needs to take note that
democracy should be a bottom-up affair, and candidates should be
chosen by the people they are going to represent, rather than by
the hierarchy of the Party who may have their own preferences and
agendas.The actions of Swapo in Ongwediva seem to be totally
counter-productive in terms of their support base, and the
demonstration there this week is proof that all is not well.The
fact that in cases such as Ongwediva, these matters are ending up
in the courts, is also taking up both time and money, while the
administration of the town continues to suffer.Worse still, it is
causing people to question the most basic tenets of democracy: the
right of people to elect the representatives of their choice,
whether they be from Swapo or opposition political parties.Perhaps
the swift resolution of the abovementioned cases can constitute a
challenge for the Swapo Secretary General, now
president-in-waiting, for the sake of both the townspeople as well
as democracy itself.We would call for an urgent resolution in the
interests of both the above.