Democracy Should Save Us From Ourselves

WHEN Hidipo Hamutenya resigns from the top leadership of Swapo after 46 years to lead (by all accounts) or godfather another political party, it is a decisive moment in Swapo’s political existence.

This resignation is substantive at both the micro and macro-level. In isolation, it would not mean much, but it takes the dimension of a political tsunami when he goes on to lead another political party.Even though I believe at the micro-level that Hamutenya should have chosen to jump on the tail of the tiger, he instead watched for years as the tiger grabbed him by the neck.Therefore, his departure now, at a time when President Nujoma is putting down the mantle of power, obscures more than it reveals about the real reasons why Hamutenya left.In distilled form, it may reveal a certain opportunism under pressure, or slipperiness; and ideology being subordinate to political needs and personal ambition.Looking at it that way, there is little chance that this resignation suggests any deeply held principle.It simply raises the existential question about his own eligibility as Namibia’s future president under Swapo’s colours, as opposed to a genuine concern with issue-based politics within Swapo or in the country.As a curious public, we are not aware of Hamutenya’s divergent views about any policy issue with his Swapo colleagues, except his against all odds attempt for the Swapo presidential nomination.It may also reveal adaptability, cynicism if you like.While this resignation is a prudential personal and political choice, we as citizens need to respect it.Doing things for the blessedly wrong reasons could turn out to be the right thing.Some may scoff at me by saying that Hamutenya’s departure from Swapo, triangulated and calculated as it seems, is in that sense a perverse kind of good news, both for shaking the party he left behind out of complacency and for the country’s political process.As China’s former top leader Deng Xiaoping would paradoxically opine: ‘let a thousand flowers bloom’.Most importantly, Hamutenya’s departure and his subsequent association to another political party, with key former Swapo figures is a defining hour for the consolidation of our democracy, or alternatively the erosion thereof.The destiny of this nation could be tested depending on how much support Hamutenya’s RDP can muster in the coming months.The extent to which we allow Hamutenya and company to exist and operate within the democratic space, will validate whether the explosive democratic transformation that we saw in this country was an exception as a result of the euphoria of independence.Or it could substantiate the democratic ideal as our way of life.Thus, the way Swapo as a government deals with Hamutenya’s exit or the RDP would have far-reaching consequences for this project.So far, some of the earlier signs are not too encouraging, notably claims of harassment or intimidation against supposed RDP members; the circulation of lists; speculation that existing Swapo members should swear oaths etc.With the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, these do suggest that we seem to be uncomfortable with others opting to create their own political homes in line with our supreme law.Some of our responses attest to unnecessary panic, which could throw our democracy into a tailspin; and drive us down the road of political violence.Such moments put the added responsibility on the leadership of Swapo to try and assuage its membership to remain calm and respect ‘the other’ to exist.Yet, the message at this crucial hour has been rather paradoxical and in most instances muted on the part of the ruling elite.On the one end, the SG of Swapo, Dr Tjiriange has been assuring the membership that all is well in the party.However, his justifications of the new membership oath may communicate the message that all is not merry.Substantively what does this oath mean? What are the consequences of this oath under the current political climate? In fact, it could also be construed as intimidating the very same members the Party seeks to protect.The existing alarm pointedly tells us, worryingly that is, that a normal singular political event could adversely define the fate of our democracy.Yet, it should not be the case.The onus rests therefore on senior leaders to emphasise that as a young country on the democratic boulevard, we can only benefit from opposing views, either within Swapo or outside.Senator Barack Obama in his excellent book The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the America Dream’ makes a compelling point that should become a guidepost to our politics when he says: ‘I am obligated to try and see the world through the eyes of George Bush, no matter how much I may disagree with him’.Similarly, despite the demands of party loyalty, democracy compels us, even if we disagree with Hamutenya or the RDP, to also look at this country through their eyes.That is how democracy works.After all, in the current cacophony of competing and venomous voices, the democratic ideal is the safest bet through which we can guarantee the cohesion of the nation and the survival of our state.* Alfredo Tjiurimo Hengari is a PhD fellow in political science at the University of Paris-Panthéon Sorbonne, France.He is currently on a UN research internship at the UN Headquarters, New York.In isolation, it would not mean much, but it takes the dimension of a political tsunami when he goes on to lead another political party.Even though I believe at the micro-level that Hamutenya should have chosen to jump on the tail of the tiger, he instead watched for years as the tiger grabbed him by the neck.Therefore, his departure now, at a time when President Nujoma is putting down the mantle of power, obscures more than it reveals about the real reasons why Hamutenya left.In distilled form, it may reveal a certain opportunism under pressure, or slipperiness; and ideology being subordinate to political needs and personal ambition.Looking at it that way, there is little chance that this resignation suggests any deeply held principle.It simply raises the existential question about his own eligibility as Namibia’s future president under Swapo’s colours, as opposed to a genuine concern with issue-based politics within Swapo or in the country.As a curious public, we are not aware of Hamutenya’s divergent views about any policy issue with his Swapo colleagues, except his against all odds attempt for the Swapo presidential nomination.It may also reveal adaptability, cynicism if you like.While this resignation is a prudential personal and political choice, we as citizens need to respect it.Doing things for the blessedly wrong reasons could turn out to be the right thing.Some may scoff at me by saying that Hamutenya’s departure from Swapo, triangulated and calculated as it seems, is in that sense a perverse kind of good news, both for shaking the party he left behind out of complacency and for the country’s political process.As China’s former top leader Deng Xiaoping would paradoxically opine: ‘let a thousand flowers bloom’. Most importantly, Hamutenya’s departure and his subsequent association to another political party, with key former Swapo figures is a defining hour for the consolidation of our democracy, or alternatively the erosion thereof.The destiny of this nation could be tested depending on how much support Hamutenya’s RDP can muster in the coming months.The extent to which we allow Hamutenya and company to exist and operate within the democratic space, will validate whether the explosive democratic transformation that we saw in this country was an exception as a result of the euphoria of independence.Or it could substantiate the democratic ideal as our way of life.Thus, the way Swapo as a government deals with Hamutenya’s exit or the RDP would have far-reaching consequences for this project.So far, some of the earlier signs are not too encouraging, notably claims of harassment or intimidation against supposed RDP members; the circulation of lists; speculation that existing Swapo members should swear oaths etc.With the benefit of 20/20 hindsight, these do suggest that we seem to be uncomfortable with others opting to create their own political homes in line with our supreme law.Some of our responses attest to unnecessary panic, which could throw our democracy into a tailspin; and drive us down the road of political violence.Such moments put the added responsibility on the leadership of Swapo to try and assuage its membership to remain calm and respect ‘the other’ to exist.Yet, the message at this crucial hour has been rather paradoxical and in most instances muted on the part of the ruling elite.On the one end, the SG of Swapo, Dr Tjiriange has been assuring the membership that all is well in the party.However, his justifications of the new membership oath may communicate the message that all is not merry.Substantively what does this oath mean? What are the consequences of this oath under the current political climate? In fact, it could also be construed as intimidating the very same members the Party seeks to protect.The existing alarm pointedly tells us, worryingly that is, that a normal singular political event could adversely define the fate of our democracy.Yet, it should not be the case.The onus rests therefore on senior leaders to emphasise that as a young country on the democratic boulevard, we can only benefit from opposing views, either within Swapo or outside.Senator Barack Obama in his excellent book The Audacity of Hope: Thoughts on Reclaiming the America Dream’ makes a compelling point that should become a guidepost to our politics when he says: ‘I am obligated to try and see the world through the eyes of George Bush, no matter how much I may disagree with him’.Similarly, despite the demands of party loyalty, democracy compels us, even if we disagree with Hamutenya or the RDP, to also look at this country through their eyes.That is how democracy works.After all, in the current cacophony of competing and venomous voices, the democratic ideal is the safest bet through which we can guarantee the cohesion of the nation and the survival of our state.* Alfredo Tjiurimo Hengari is a PhD fellow in political science at the University of Paris-Panthéon Sorbonne, France.He is currently on a UN research internship at the UN Headquarters, New York.