Political Perspective

HOPEFULLY President Hifikepunye Pohamba, now also President of Swapo, will flex his muscles as he appeared to promise in his acceptance speech this week, apply zero tolerance to all negative aspects which pull us downwards, and instead give the country some focus to pull itself out of what is a steadily deteriorating state of affairs.

We are at low ebb right now and what is true of Swapo, is also true of the population as a whole, and we need to pull ourselves together and get on with the business of development. WHY do I say this? Because it would be hard for us to sink much lower than we are at present: bogged down by negativity and depressed by the status quo, and yet seemingly too much in a state of paralysis to do anything about it.It’s hard to be positive when the ruling party is so mired in its own subjective internecine quarrels that the business of government is not given the priority it deserves, with the resultant knock-on effect which then permeates all other sectors of life in Namibia.There are those who are literally and figuratively getting away with murder while the Swapo Government’s attention is elsewhere, obsessed as it has been about more trivial areas.Who wants to live in a country where the leadership is constantly at one another’s throats and/or unable to act out their functions because they’ve got question marks hovering over their political futures? Who wants to stay in a place where corruption becomes more and more endemic, and the promised focus has already shifted away from its eradication? Who can possibly feel optimistic when thieves stoop as low as to steal the wheels off ambulances; when mental patients can’t be given proper care; where Ministries overspend by millions with no repercussions; where unemployed women have to resort to public appeals to feed their multiple offspring while millions are misspent and stolen; when a promising future is eroding before our very eyes, largely as a result of lack of leadership? The list goes on.It is really high time that Swapo, because they are the ruling party and in need of a reality check to galvanise them into action, stop sacrificing the country because internal politicking is taking up all their time and energy.We’ve heard strong words from President Pohamba this week, and I’m hoping that he really means business this time.The people have had enough of promises.Where we excused him in the past because he didn’t have the power, to all intents and purposes he is now in charge, and he needs to make his presence felt.Decisive and disciplined leadership is what is needed to get us out of the doldrums.And much as though certain people will take serious issue with me for saying this, I for one am tired of seeing the now almost meaningless show of power-saluting leadership and cadres trying to outdo one another in silly suits of Swapo colours, when we’ve got a country to develop.It’s high time they realise too that the country is more important than Swapo, and they’ve got the mandate to make it so if they would only exercise it.And they can make a good and meaningful start by immediately seeing to it that the upper echelons of leadership in Government do not disappear on leave for the next two months, as happened last year.Government needs to work 12 months of the year and the country will have to deal with the consequences if seniors simply leave en masse for the December/January recess.Government is fooling itself if it denies the truth of these claims.There is no substitute for hard work, and if Government sets the example, the rest of the country will follow suit.And however the President manages to do it, he must take Swapo along, even if they’re kicking and screaming, into a new, increasingly competitive world where the struggle credentials of individuals or Governments themselves don’t mean much anymore.Now is the time for them to deliver to their own people and to make this the main focus of the task they’ve been elected to carry out.Or mess up things more than they’re messed up already.WHY do I say this? Because it would be hard for us to sink much lower than we are at present: bogged down by negativity and depressed by the status quo, and yet seemingly too much in a state of paralysis to do anything about it.It’s hard to be positive when the ruling party is so mired in its own subjective internecine quarrels that the business of government is not given the priority it deserves, with the resultant knock-on effect which then permeates all other sectors of life in Namibia.There are those who are literally and figuratively getting away with murder while the Swapo Government’s attention is elsewhere, obsessed as it has been about more trivial areas.Who wants to live in a country where the leadership is constantly at one another’s throats and/or unable to act out their functions because they’ve got question marks hovering over their political futures? Who wants to stay in a place where corruption becomes more and more endemic, and the promised focus has already shifted away from its eradication? Who can possibly feel optimistic when thieves stoop as low as to steal the wheels off ambulances; when mental patients can’t be given proper care; where Ministries overspend by millions with no repercussions; where unemployed women have to resort to public appeals to feed their multiple offspring while millions are misspent and stolen; when a promising future is eroding before our very eyes, largely as a result of lack of leadership? The list goes on.It is really high time that Swapo, because they are the ruling party and in need of a reality check to galvanise them into action, stop sacrificing the country because internal politicking is taking up all their time and energy.We’ve heard strong words from President Pohamba this week, and I’m hoping that he really means business this time.The people have had enough of promises.Where we excused him in the past because he didn’t have the power, to all intents and purposes he is now in charge, and he needs to make his presence felt.Decisive and disciplined leadership is what is needed to get us out of the doldrums.And much as though certain people will take serious issue with me for saying this, I for one am tired of seeing the now almost meaningless show of power-saluting leadership and cadres trying to outdo one another in silly suits of Swapo colours, when we’ve got a country to develop.It’s high time they realise too that the country is more important than Swapo, and they’ve got the mandate to make it so if they would only exercise it.And they can make a good and meaningful start by immediately seeing to it that the upper echelons of leadership in Government do not disappear on leave for the next two months, as happened last year.Government needs to work 12 months of the year and the country will have to deal with the consequences if seniors simply leave en masse for the December/January recess.Government is fooling itself if it denies the truth of these claims.There is no substitute for hard work, and if Government sets the example, the rest of the country will follow suit.And however the President manages to do it, he must take Swapo along, even if they’re kicking and screaming, into a new, increasingly competitive world where the struggle credentials of individuals or Governments themselves don’t mean much anymore.Now is the time for them to deliver to their own people and to make this the main focus of the task they’ve been elected to carry out.Or mess up things more than they’re messed up already.