Our Leaders Fear Taking Decisions
“I PROPOSE a commission to determine parameters for deciding prices of farms. The commercial rate is being abused by the greedy people. Government can’t continue buying land that is in no relation to its productivity. That’s daylight robbery,” a weekly newspaper quoted Prime Minister Nahas Angula.
If a person in a decision-making position is proposing something that needs a decision, what should people who are outside the decision-making positions do?
It was also reported in the media that the Minister of Agriculture, Water and Forestry, John Mutorwa, gave advice to the board of directors on appointing ‘an interim’ chief executive officer of Meatco. Instead, the minister could have taken a firm stand or made a decision. Instead of taking profound decisions, leaders are giving advice to themselves. Worse, these are long-serving experienced leaders of the country.
Leaders of the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) are preaching the gospel of alternative policies once they are elected into power. When most of them were government ministers could they not realise the power they had to develop Namibia?
Namibia has a problem of leaders who fail to take decisions but rather give themselves advice. “Prime Minister Dr Hage Geingob advised the ‘struggle kids’ to return to their homes in a peaceful manner as directed by the Swapo Central Committee meeting last week.” The prime minister advised while the Swapo Central Committee directed and none of them took a decision on the matter. Prime Minister, please listen to the struggle kids because listening is a solution in itself.
It seems national leaders are scared of taking decisions and prefer to lead by advice. “The Namibian government has spent over N$1 billion on local and international consultants over the past three years…” An advisor gives advice and it is up to the person in power to take that advice and use it, or throw it into the dustbin. Over N$1 billion is spent on advice which means Namibia has unskilled workers and non-expert leaders. The latter is indeed appalling and worrisome.
Speaking at the 10th anniversary celebration of the Northern Regional Electricity Distributing Company (Nored), the Minister of Mines and Energy explained to himself: “I find myself in a dilemma when it comes to the Regional Electricity Distributors (REDs)… It is my responsibility to appoint the board of directors of ECB, but not the REDs. This means I cannot call them to order as I am not the one who appointed them. That policy has to be seriously looked at because I cannot govern the electricity industry that does not include the REDs.” You make the laws. You sign policies. You have the power to appoint and govern but you leave all those effective platforms and give a toothless public lecture – beating around the bush!
We have a leadership deficit.
It seems political office bearers only work when they are at public rallies, not in offices, because it is the only time the media quotes them saying something about their work and how they wish to ‘advise’ themselves.
Djaupyu Siteketa
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