On The Namibian Factor

ALLOW me an opportunity in your readable newspaper to share some views on current and possibly future affairs in day-to-day existence in our beloved country.

Every citizen here is blessed with the right to co-exist and co-habit in peace and tranquillity thanks to Independence and democracy that prevails, creating a platform for freedom of speech. More often however, as we go about our daily routines, we forget how lucky and privileged we are.I encounter many of our foreign African friends who without any doubt whatsoever point out that we live under a cloud of paradise in comparison with them, and so I’m puzzled and somehow bewildered by what I will call the ‘Namibian factor’, that of being completely unperturbed and undisturbed by events in our society, whether it be daylight corruption, service delivery in the civil sector, leadership qualities in the ruling party, opposition or otherwise, or any other practice that has wrongdoing written all over it and visible to the naked eye and senses of a five-year-old.Instead we simply just drift along in an inexplicable belief that we as a nation can never go wrong in terms of stability.I question the mythology that defines us a nation.For a country that has diverse cultures and beliefs, one will tend to agree that difference of opinion will occur and that we will be vocal about it, but for some reason or another we are united in a conservative state of mind.Time and time again the phrase ‘Vision 2030’ pops up, we should be careful, very careful, because we will be staring at ‘vision poverty’ if we do not divert from the notion of being unchallenging and forever tolerant.Nello Thimotheus RunduMore often however, as we go about our daily routines, we forget how lucky and privileged we are.I encounter many of our foreign African friends who without any doubt whatsoever point out that we live under a cloud of paradise in comparison with them, and so I’m puzzled and somehow bewildered by what I will call the ‘Namibian factor’, that of being completely unperturbed and undisturbed by events in our society, whether it be daylight corruption, service delivery in the civil sector, leadership qualities in the ruling party, opposition or otherwise, or any other practice that has wrongdoing written all over it and visible to the naked eye and senses of a five-year-old.Instead we simply just drift along in an inexplicable belief that we as a nation can never go wrong in terms of stability.I question the mythology that defines us a nation.For a country that has diverse cultures and beliefs, one will tend to agree that difference of opinion will occur and that we will be vocal about it, but for some reason or another we are united in a conservative state of mind.Time and time again the phrase ‘Vision 2030’ pops up, we should be careful, very careful, because we will be staring at ‘vision poverty’ if we do not divert from the notion of being unchallenging and forever tolerant. Nello Thimotheus Rundu