An Apologetic Farewell?

I DON’T think the former Prime Minister and current Speaker of the National Assembly has told the whole truth about the political environment in our country to the outgoing ambassador of the European Commission to Namibia, as reported by New Era on August 18.

In response to a remark made by outgoing ambassador Dr Antonius Brueser, expressing his admiration for the country, but also his hope for a stronger opposition in the country, Mr Theo-Ben Gurirab said: “African opposition parties have many able politicians in their ranks, especially in Namibia. The problem in that they are not very effective due to the fact that their leaders primarily want to compete with a popular ruling party”.I am hardly convinced that this is a real problem in this country.Competition to lead the country is normal practice in a democracy.In the African perspective, when one promotes a political cause or aspires to get into active politics, one is suspiciously questioned as to where your idea originated.If it is not from “Europe or international West with its neo-liberal democracy” (the direction we go when in dire need), people want to know who is behind you.Political analysts have come to the conclusion that politicians ask people to vote for them on the basis of what they have done, and not of what they are going to do in the future.That’s why Namibian election manifestos always end up as wastepaper and empty promotes after elections.The registered voters in Namibia do not vote for issues but on the basis of regional, ethnic, tribal and other societal or community groupings.Most of the election campaigns are not issue-based or issue-driven, but coated with the tactics of name-calling, character assassination, personal attacks, hate expressions, intimidation and some racial, ethnic, tribal, cultural or feminist grudges.The manifestos are not necessarily a reflection of the aspirations, wishes and expectations of the masses.They are mostly the preconceived ideas of a few elites in the party-political leadership.For an election campaign to succeed, a fellow countryman or woman has to be “enemy number one of the people of Africa, funded by Britain or bankrolled by the United States of America to colonise Africa again”.There is a tendency of buying votes – voters who show love of money and material things can be “cashed” for support.This is where corruption starts, even before the office is taken.Promises of high posts, employment and better living conditions characterise such a campaign.There is also a tendency of strategically tampering with ballot papers, and international observers regard it as sour grapes from the losers if anybody complains about it.Some veteran politicians do not believe in surrendering power.They therefore live in fear of any serious competition.When their support bases are being penetrated, they tend to instigate violence in order to cordon off some areas as their “no-man’s land”.The code of ethics signed by contesting political parties will only apply to those who feel like it, as long as there is hardly any punishment by law.When it comes to the outcome of elections, every stakeholder longs to see “free and fair” elections.Voting can be regarded free, but is mostly not fair.How fair can it be if the airtime allocations and State funding of political parties’ election campaigns depend on how many votes they got in the previous elections? Politically speaking, we Namibians have spent the 16 years since Independence on personal squabbles, character assassination, self-aggrandisement, rumour mongering and demonising each other while the land has not been productively cultivated.Leaders have been caught red-handed by the electorate and the media – corruption scandals, political infighting, the shebeen crisis, ex-combatants’ compensation… the list goes on.New Era further reported that, “Brueser apologised for being sometimes too straightforward in dealing with the Namibian Government”.Does one need to apologise for being critical or straightforward? We want to see people, especially those from the political and economic powerhouses, standing up for us.It does not help anyone to sin in silence.R.Gaes Via e-mailThe problem in that they are not very effective due to the fact that their leaders primarily want to compete with a popular ruling party”.I am hardly convinced that this is a real problem in this country.Competition to lead the country is normal practice in a democracy.In the African perspective, when one promotes a political cause or aspires to get into active politics, one is suspiciously questioned as to where your idea originated.If it is not from “Europe or international West with its neo-liberal democracy” (the direction we go when in dire need), people want to know who is behind you.Political analysts have come to the conclusion that politicians ask people to vote for them on the basis of what they have done, and not of what they are going to do in the future.That’s why Namibian election manifestos always end up as wastepaper and empty promotes after elections.The registered voters in Namibia do not vote for issues but on the basis of regional, ethnic, tribal and other societal or community groupings.Most of the election campaigns are not issue-based or issue-driven, but coated with the tactics of name-calling, character assassination, personal attacks, hate expressions, intimidation and some racial, ethnic, tribal, cultural or feminist grudges.The manifestos are not necessarily a reflection of the aspirations, wishes and expectations of the masses.They are mostly the preconceived ideas of a few elites in the party-political leadership.For an election campaign to succeed, a fellow countryman or woman has to be “enemy number one of the people of Africa, funded by Britain or bankrolled by the United States of America to colonise Africa again”.There is a tendency of buying votes – voters who show love of money and material things can be “cashed” for support.This is where corruption starts, even before the office is taken.Promises of high posts, employment and better living conditions characterise such a campaign.There is also a tendency of strategically tampering with ballot papers, and international observers regard it as sour grapes from the losers if anybody complains about it.Some veteran politicians do not believe in surrendering power.They therefore live in fear of any serious competition.When their support bases are being penetrated, they tend to instigate violence in order to cordon off some areas as their “no-man’s land”.The code of ethics signed by contesting political parties will only apply to those who feel like it, as long as there is hardly any punishment by law.When it comes to the outcome of elections, every stakeholder longs to see “free and fair” elections.Voting can be regarded free, but is mostly not fair.How fair can it be if the airtime allocations and State funding of political parties’ election campaigns depend on how many votes they got in the previous elections? Politically speaking, we Namibians have spent the 16 years since Independence on personal squabbles, character assassination, self-aggrandisement, rumour mongering and demonising each other while the land has not been productively cultivated.Leaders have been caught red-handed by the electorate and the media – corruption scandals, political infighting, the shebeen crisis, ex-combatants’ compensation… the list goes on.New Era further reported that, “Brueser apologised for being sometimes too straightforward in dealing with the Namibian Government”.Does one need to apologise for being critical or straightforward? We want to see people, especially those from the political and economic powerhouses, standing up for us.It does not help anyone to sin in silence.R.Gaes Via e-mail