Political Perspective

WE’VE got a serious problem with hypocrisy if the fawning and obsequious reception at the resumption of Parliament this week for discredited Swapo Youth League Secretary Paulus Kapia is anything to go by.

After having read him the riot act, among other things stating that Kapia would not again take up his seat in the National Assembly, Swapo Secretary General Ngarikutuke Tjiriange had embarrassingly little to offer in terms of explanation for the ruling party’s about-face on this matter. ON the face of it, there was no good reason for Kapia’s reappearance in Parliament and Swapo still has some explaining to do.In the wake of the SSC-Avid saga in which Kapia featured prominently as the recipient of a kickback, he resigned as Deputy Minister and was later suspended by Swapo as SPYL Secretary.On the same occasion Tjiriange made it clear that Kapia wouldn’t be back in Parliament, but lo and behold, not long after, there was Kapia being heartily greeted in that allegedly august chamber, like a prodigal son! From the start of this whole affair Swapo has been in a tight spot as to what to do.Hesitant apparently to take the bold step of booting out a man whose heady days at the helm of SPYL saw him take up the role of judge, jury and executioner of those he perceived as ‘non-comrades’, Kapia quit as Deputy Minister when it became evident the ranks were closing against him.He was then suspended as SPYL chief pending investigation, but Swapo seemed quite unable to strike the final blow and oust him from Parliament.Presumably, once again, they’re hoping he’ll do the ‘honourable thing’ and resign himself.But then why should he, if Swapo itself doesn’t have the guts or gumption to follow through? It is right and fitting that such a man be brought to book, unless of course, we’re not fussy about the type of leaders we have.What other deduction is to be made from his reappearance in Parliament? And if so, we are faced with a serious problem of quality leadership.At a workshop for MPs this week, Speaker of Parliament Theo-Ben Gurirab took issue with “thieves and scoundrels”, saying that such culprits must face “public shame and blame and pay the price” for their deeds.It appeared as if he was referring to, among others, Kapia, who was among participants at the workshop.Article 47 and 48 of the Constitution make provision for Disqualification of Members and Vacation of Seats in the National Assembly, respectively.Among other things, Article 47 stipulates that unrehabilitated insolvents may not take up seats in Parliament; or those who have been convicted of offences for which they have received jail terms of over 12 months; or if they are of unsound mind and have been declared as such by a competent court.None of the above applies to Kapia (yet).But Article 48 says Members should vacate their seats if “they cease to have the qualifications which rendered them to be eligible” as MPs.Surely, if nothing else, this could be made to apply in Kapia’s case? Yes, yes, we know the sometimes tired litany of ‘innocent until proven guilty’ but in this case it’s a public official who has clearly messed with taxpayers’ money and shouldn’t even be allowed near Parliament or back into political office until such time (if ever) his name is cleared.You’d have thought, if nothing else, that some other MPs might have taken a stand when Kapia arrived and was all but given a round of applause from some in the Chamber.And this is where I come to the hypocrisy of it all! What message is sent out to Namibians by our Parliamentarians who so effusively greet a man who has been almost completely discredited? More than this, what does it say about them as Parliamentarians, those who are elected to represent the Namibian people who themselves are virtually unanimous in their condemnation of those who misappropriate, or assist in the misappropriation of, public funds? The Speaker of Parliament is right.People who abuse the public trust should not only be shamed, but also shunned, and not, as he said, hide behind “exemptions, immunities and privileges” which do not apply.Perhaps those MPs who almost fell at Kapia’s feet should take these words to heart.ON the face of it, there was no good reason for Kapia’s reappearance in Parliament and Swapo still has some explaining to do.In the wake of the SSC-Avid saga in which Kapia featured prominently as the recipient of a kickback, he resigned as Deputy Minister and was later suspended by Swapo as SPYL Secretary.On the same occasion Tjiriange made it clear that Kapia wouldn’t be back in Parliament, but lo and behold, not long after, there was Kapia being heartily greeted in that allegedly august chamber, like a prodigal son! From the start of this whole affair Swapo has been in a tight spot as to what to do.Hesitant apparently to take the bold step of booting out a man whose heady days at the helm of SPYL saw him take up the role of judge, jury and executioner of those he perceived as ‘non-comrades’, Kapia quit as Deputy Minister when it became evident the ranks were closing against him.He was then suspended as SPYL chief pending investigation, but Swapo seemed quite unable to strike the final blow and oust him from Parliament.Presumably, once again, they’re hoping he’ll do the ‘honourable thing’ and resign himself.But then why should he, if Swapo itself doesn’t have the guts or gumption to follow through? It is right and fitting that such a man be brought to book, unless of course, we’re not fussy about the type of leaders we have.What other deduction is to be made from his reappearance in Parliament? And if so, we are faced with a serious problem of quality leadership.At a workshop for MPs this week, Speaker of Parliament Theo-Ben Gurirab took issue with “thieves and scoundrels”, saying that such culprits must face “public shame and blame and pay the price” for their deeds.It appeared as if he was referring to, among others, Kapia, who was among participants at the workshop.Article 47 and 48 of the Constitution make provision for Disqualification of Members and Vacation of Seats in the National Assembly, respectively.Among other things, Article 47 stipulates that unrehabilitated insolvents may not take up seats in Parliament; or those who have been convicted of offences for which they have received jail terms of over 12 months; or if they are of unsound mind and have been declared as such by a competent court.None of the above applies to Kapia (yet).But Article 48 says Members should vacate their seats if “they cease to have the qualifications which rendered them to be eligible” as MPs.Surely, if nothing else, this could be made to apply in Kapia’s case? Yes, yes, we know the sometimes tired litany of ‘innocent until proven guilty’ but in this case it’s a public official who has clearly messed with taxpayers’ money and shouldn’t even be allowed near Parliament or back into political office until such time (if ever) his name is cleared.You’d have thought, if nothing else, that some other MPs might have taken a stand when Kapia arrived and was all but given a round of applause from some in the Chamber.And this is where I come to the hypocrisy of it all! What message is sent out to Namibians by our Parliamentarians who so effusively greet a man who has been almost completely discredited? More than this, what does it say about them as Parliamentarians, those who are elected to represent the Namibian people who themselves are virtually unanimous in their condemnation of those who misappropriate, or assist in the misappropriation of, public funds? The Speaker of Parliament is right.People who abuse the public trust should not only be shamed, but also shunned, and not, as he said, hide behind “exemptions, immunities and privileges” which do not apply.Perhaps those MPs who almost fell at Kapia’s feet should take these words to heart.