The Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) has warned that Namibia’s oil discoveries could become a route to political self-enrichment if leaders put personal gain ahead of public service.
Speaking at the party’s national executive committee meeting in Windhoek on Saturday, IPC vice president Trevino Forbes said politics has increasingly become a means to accumulate wealth and secure positions.
“Self-sacrifice is the reason why most of us came to politics, because we knew we had to do much more to deliver our people from the current regime, from corruption and self-interest as well as self-gratification,” he said.
Forbes said Namibia deserves better leadership and warned that some politicians only stay committed while they are in line for positions.
He said some IPC members have left the party after failing to get the positions they wanted, adding that their departure was driven by personal ambition rather than principle.
“Positions should never override self-sacrifice, ” Forbes said.
IPC national chairperson Brian Black said the party was meeting at a time when the ruling party is pushing for the oil sector to fall under the Office of the Presidency through the petroleum bill, following recent oil discoveries.
He said oil in Africa has often turned into a curse, but expressed hope that Namibia could avoid that outcome.
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