In a nation still processing the aftershocks of the Fishrot scandal, Namibia finds itself staring down yet another storm – allegations of corruption at Namcor and a protracted High Court fight between the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) and Enercon over more than N$28 million in unpaid loans.
The headlines are depressingly familiar: Politically connected figures, whispered influence, and the whiff of privilege.
Yet, for every scandal that dominates a front page, there are quiet examples of business people who are choosing a different, more deliberate path.
They provide a stark contrast to the rush of fast cars and fast deals.
THE ROAD LESS TRAVELLED
Take entrepreneur Risto Ashikoto, founder of a manufacturing business, who has been building his company for years without tenders or state funding.
His progress seems to be steady and his profits modest.
But in a country obsessed with instant wealth, friends often bombard him with questions:
“Risto, why aren’t you driving a G-Wagon?”
“When will you fly first-class to Dubai or the Maldives?”
“Why aren’t you dating celebrities?”
In a series of Facebook posts, Risto pushed back.
“When your foundation is corruption, no matter how beautiful the house looks, it will collapse,” he wrote.
“I’m building something real, brick by brick, customer by customer. I’m not here to impress; I’m here to build.”
His words resonate at a time when public trust in institutions is paper thin.
The Namcor revelations have ignited accusations of mismanagement and personal enrichment, echoing the outrage that erupted during the Fishrot fallout.
A TALE OF TWO LOANS
The DBN-Enercon case has only deepened perceptions of double standards.
Court documents show the Development Bank of Namibia (DBN) granted Enercon two loans in May 2015 – one for more than N$18 million, another for over N$7 million.
The first loan saw just 55 payments before defaults, the last made in February 2024.
Despite this track record, a second loan was still approved. For what?
Ashikoto says ordinary entrepreneurs face a much tougher road.
Preparing a DBN application can cost up to N$20 000 in professional business plans, tax clearance and admin fees – often ending in rejection without explanation.
Access to capital isn’t always about merit; it’s about connections. And when the playing field is tilted, hardworking Namibians lose faith.
It is this type of systemic issue that exasperates aspiring business people.
THE LAWS OF THE UNIVERSE
At the heart of these frustrations lies a timeless question that’s whispered in shebeens, debated in WhatsApp groups, and muttered about in queues at government offices: Why do the corrupt seem to prosper while the honest struggle?
Kenyan public speaking coach and author Trophy Kiprono addresses this head-on in her book ‘Mastering Office Politics’.
She argues that the universe operates on neutral laws – like gravity, they work the same for everyone, whether saint or thief.
The laws reward clarity, strategy, bold action and persistence. They are blind to morality.
It’s why a corrupt businessman can still close a big deal, and a dishonest politician can win an election.
If they are confident, network aggressively and act without hesitation, they trigger the same success mechanisms that an ethical person would – at least in the short term.
But these laws are incomplete without a second truth: The consequences of your character are unavoidable. Kiprono puts it simply:
“You can cheat the system, but you can’t cheat yourself. Your actions plant seeds and they always grow back into your life.”
History is full of examples. The rich who fell to bankruptcy overnight. The powerful who woke up to handcuffs and front-page shame.
Even in Namibia, the Fishrot architects once seemed untouchable, until the tide turned.
Ashikoto understands this principle instinctively. The flashy mansion bought with dubious money is built on sand.
One court ruling, one whistleblower, one exposé away from crumbling.
THE NARROW PATH
Lucky Dube’s lyrics – I’m running a fugitive – capture it perfectly: Corruption may create speed and the illusion of invincibility, but it is an exhausting race against both the law and your own conscience.
Ethical entrepreneurship is slower, yes.
But like a well-dug borehole in a dry country, it keeps giving without running dry, creating peace of mind, durability and an unshakable foundation that no scandal can erode.
Ashikoto and others know the climb can feel slow – especially when peers who started after him already flaunt SUVs, duplexes and photos from Caribbean beaches. But he’s clear on the legacy he wants his children to inherit.
“No tenders. No backdoor deals,” he says.
“I’d rather sleep peacefully in my small house than wonder which newspaper will put me on the front page for the wrong reasons.”
The lesson isn’t to envy corner-cutters, but to learn from their boldness and vision while keeping integrity intact.
These scandals are more than headlines.
They’re a wake-up call for Namibia’s youth that the easy road is rarely the right one, and that the slow road, however frustrating, is the one that builds something that lasts.
We need to decide what kind of Namibia we want to build – one of shortcuts and scandals, or one of sustainable success and quiet integrity.
- Ismael Uugwanga is a social commentator. The views expressed here are his own.
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