Our Broken State Of The Nation
By: TSUDAO GURIRAB
LAST month marked the 23rd anniversary of our statehood and as the clock ticks on we are, at the same time, excited to see off Oom Lukas in compliance with Article 29(3) of the country’s Constitution which deals with presidential tenure. We must hope that he is not planning to spring a surprise on us by insisting on a third term.
You would also have noted that we have mercifully moved on from the capricious days when it was necessary for a full combat-ready battalion to guard the Swapo congress to elect their candidate for next year’s presidential election. This is cause for celebration. We understand that this time around it was a more gentle affair, though the last word has not been spoken on the outcome of this congress just yet. So watch this space. We are still dumbfounded as to what they were afraid of at the 2004 congress to station a whole armed brigade armed to teeth at the congress venue? Was it simply a crude act of intimidation? Or did they sincerely believe someone was going to steal the results of the elections and run off to Odibo? But then, we have long come to accept stolen elections as a national pastime.
The mischievous belief in the divine right to rule, the demonisation of political opposition/alternatives and the associated abuse of state institutions to settle political differences have distressingly defined conduct of politics in our country since independence. President Pohamba himself, contrary to character, felt coerced to denounce all manner of Judas Iscariots with whom we should not even share a cup of water in our thirsty land. But it is gratifying to report that he has, on balance, exercised his office with the dignity and responsibility which our Constitution expects of the Head of State. It is, of course, self-evident that once the results of elections are certified, the head of state must at all times act as the leader of our country and representative of all its people. And it is in the benevolent exercise of his office and sober judgement that President Pohamba has rekindled, for many, the fading dream that ours can be a winning nation.
Last week, the president released the report he commissioned in the health sector. Though coming in his twilight years, such actions demonstrating confidence, trust and rapport is what Namibians expect and deserve from their government. Pity he has not released, for public consumption, a myriad of reports of his predecessor. The niggling question is whether our institutions of governance are sufficiently robust and whether we have nurtured an enlightened culture such as to defer to the supremacy of our Constitution, laws and institutions of state? For only these will guarantee a successful ride to a stable, modern and prosperous Namibia. Or will the character of our republic be subject to the whims of the new leader? Or worse still, are some Seleka-like rebels lurking in the shadows?
The success of a country ultimately depends on the welfare of its people. It is as their representatives and in their name that we govern. In this regard, despite the wholesome promises of our republican Constitution a frightening number of Namibians live in squalor, subsist from hand to mouth and succumb to a host of opportunistic and preventable diseases. This cannot be right. This must not continue. Government still fails to produce reliable and regular statistics but we know that the victims of this neglect and destitution are our families, relations and neighbours.
The point is that how we create and distribute wealth has not changed substantially and this is where we need a sincere debate involving all – i.e. academia, industry, government – all Namibians. We need to explain collectively in this 23rd year of independence, how to employ our resources to create wealth and jobs. We are mindful that neophytes in government will scream that this amounts to “co-administration”. They can be rest assured that a collective search for answers to burning societal questions will not diminish their power by an iota. On the contrary, it is a sign of enlightened government. Investment in quality living standards of the citizens is the inverse of health expenditure.
Investment in the present appalling skills base of our youth is the foundation of our future. Local beneficiation, where feasible, is to stop exporting jobs. Investing in our infrastructure is to make ours a competitive economy. And as society and government we need to nip in the bud, the present ugly gender based violence which is now enveloping our country. That is the troubling and broken state of our nation which calls for instant redress.