Editorial: Enough Of The Praise-singing ENOUGH is enough.

In the wake of a vocal, and apparently unanimous, commitment on the part of political leadership to fighting corruption and the priorities that should go along with this, Parliament is bestowing yet another honour on former President Sam Nujoma.

He is now officially to be known as the ‘Founding Father of the Namibian Nation’ and a law is to be passed to this effect. Just over a year ago Parliament bestowed a magnificent package on him, including many benefits, financial and otherwise; an office from which to operate, scores of staff … the list goes on.Even his expenditure as ‘former President’ resorts under the office of the incumbent President, and only recently, there was controversy about a pricey helicopter trip which is to be paid courtesy of the taxpayer.Nujoma has had scores of streets named after him, and the expensive accolades continue without stopping.Recently too, Cabinet announced that in future pictures of the founding President were to be hung alongside those of President Hifikepunye Pohamba in all Government offices.We have said before, and do so again, that no one objects to giving former President Nujoma the credit he is due for his pivotal role in bringing self-determination and independence to Namibia.History will acknowledge his role, which cannot be underestimated.But at the same time, we have our priorities now, and they are burning ones.We cannot afford to waste valuable time and resources on paying tribute upon tribute to our former President.We are sure that even the former President himself would agree that the focus should be on other areas.We fail to understand why a law should be enacted to bestow on him the title of Founding Father of the Namibian Nation.Not everyone would agree, in any case.Some will argue that the Namibian nation was founded a long time ago and that Nujoma alone cannot be given credit for this.And what is required of the population in this regard that it has to be enacted into law? The way in which things are going at present, will lead to a perception that the incumbent President is secondary to the person now to be known as the Founding President.It does not augur well for either democracy or good governance in Namibia.This problem has already been manifest on several occasions where former President Nujoma has been greeted with the pomp and ceremony that should in all rights belong to President Pohamba.Cognisant of this, a delegation from the ruling party even visited the former President to request that he step down from his role as president of the ruling party, but to no avail.We are forced to wonder whether the continual list of benefits and titles that are being bestowed upon Nujoma are attempts to get his acquiescence, but this is not acceptable.President Nujoma is of course a person of status.We do not need laws to enact this fact.But he is also clearly a former President of this country, and must not only step down, but step back as well, and allow his successor to get on with things.Enough is enough with the tributes.Let us instead get on with making democracy and good governance the priority in Namibia.Just over a year ago Parliament bestowed a magnificent package on him, including many benefits, financial and otherwise; an office from which to operate, scores of staff … the list goes on.Even his expenditure as ‘former President’ resorts under the office of the incumbent President, and only recently, there was controversy about a pricey helicopter trip which is to be paid courtesy of the taxpayer.Nujoma has had scores of streets named after him, and the expensive accolades continue without stopping.Recently too, Cabinet announced that in future pictures of the founding President were to be hung alongside those of President Hifikepunye Pohamba in all Government offices.We have said before, and do so again, that no one objects to giving former President Nujoma the credit he is due for his pivotal role in bringing self-determination and independence to Namibia.History will acknowledge his role, which cannot be underestimated.But at the same time, we have our priorities now, and they are burning ones.We cannot afford to waste valuable time and resources on paying tribute upon tribute to our former President.We are sure that even the former President himself would agree that the focus should be on other areas.We fail to understand why a law should be enacted to bestow on him the title of Founding Father of the Namibian Nation.Not everyone would agree, in any case.Some will argue that the Namibian nation was founded a long time ago and that Nujoma alone cannot be given credit for this.And what is required of the population in this regard that it has to be enacted into law? The way in which things are going at present, will lead to a perception that the incumbent President is secondary to the person now to be known as the Founding President.It does not augur well for either democracy or good governance in Namibia.This problem has already been manifest on several occasions where former President Nujoma has been greeted with the pomp and ceremony that should in all rights belong to President Pohamba.Cognisant of this, a delegation from the ruling party even visited the former President to request that he step down from his role as president of the ruling party, but to no avail.We are forced to wonder whether the continual list of benefits and titles that are being bestowed upon Nujoma are attempts to get his acquiescence, but this is not acceptable.President Nujoma is of course a person of status.We do not need laws to enact this fact.But he is also clearly a former President of this country, and must not only step down, but step back as well, and allow his successor to get on with things.Enough is enough with the tributes.Let us instead get on with making democracy and good governance the priority in Namibia.