Namandje says some politicians lack essential ethos

Lawyer Sisa Namandje says those who will be elected into the legislature and the executive in the November election should not be found wanting in key areas of public governance.

He also donated N$100 000 to the disadvantaged pupils of Uukule Secondary School in the Oshikoto region.

Namamndje says in many cases people aspiring to take up public service positions are often found to lack essential knowledge of the values, aspirations and ethos repeatedly echoed throughout the Constitution of Namibia.

Namandje was speaking during the launch of his book, ‘Administrative Law Guide for Political Leaders’ at Ondangwa on Saturday.

“On 27 November 2024, the socio-political will of Namibians as a collective largely organised by political parties shall again, as done before, be transformed into a representative government which is the government of the people, by the people and for the people. This happens in Namibia, peacefully, every five years. This had enabled Namibians to transform the country into a respected global citizen.

“This problem [lack of essential ethos] is not necessarily caused by lack of formal education”. It is something else. It is mostly caused by the fact that political parties across the political spectrum, in most cases, fail to [prepare] their aspiring leaders sufficiently into the norms and values of democratic governance so as to enable them when assuming public office to tangibly contribute to and strengthen the political stability of the country, he said.

He said the preamble of the Namibian Constitution speaks of the determination with which the people of Namibia adopted their Constitution, which expresses for the present and future generations the resolve not only to cherish, but to protect the gains of the long struggle [toward statehood].

“The Republic of Namibia as a sovereign state is foundationally based on democracy, the rule of law and justice for all. Those who aspire to be political leaders must realise that our Constitution stands as a bridge between the past and the future. The past represents a legacy of a deeply divided society characterised by hunger, strife, conflict, untold suffering and injustice.

“Thousands of Namibians died at the hands of brutal foreign occupiers. Some Namibians bear the scars of this legacy to this day,” he said.

Namandje added that the future is founded on the recognition of various fundamental rights and freedoms and the strengthening of the country’s democratic project.

He said it represents a future in which political leaders must possess mental attitudes that abhor vengeance and do not practice or promote retaliation, but reparation, and who do not support and propagate victimisation, but peace-making.

“Competent political leaders should have enough skills, understanding and ability to recognise and protect everyone’s status as a human being who is entitled to unconditional respect, dignity, value and acceptance from other members of the community.

A competent political leader (in a democracy) is, therefore, one that fully understands constitutionalism, respects the rule of law and understands procedural and substantive requirements of an effective and efficient public office in a democratic country. Our constitutional dispensation thus demands that a political leader aspiring to assume public office must possess sufficient skills on various principles of public law administration. If not – he/she must be far from public office – very far,” said Namandje.

He said that the ‘Administrative Law Guide for Political Leaders’ is thus a basic guide aimed at [preparing] aspiring political leaders into the necessary ethos of public service in both the legislature or the executive.