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Political Perspective: The Pursuit of Truth

Political Perspective: The Pursuit of Truth

WHATEVER lies behind his decision to do so, I was nevertheless glad to hear Deputy Minister of Regional and Local Government, Housing and Rural Development, Kazenambo Kazenambo, taking issue in Parliament with certain Swapo leaders for practising ethnicity and tribalism.

Whatever the merits or demerits of his argument (and there are some of both) it is the mere fact that he dared criticise from within the ranks of the ruling party that is an encouraging sign. This will hopefully spur others on to the realisation that things will not fall apart simply because there are dissenting voices on any given subject within Swapo.ON the plus side, Kazenambo reportedly took issue with colleagues for hypocrisy and tribalism; on the minus side, he faulted some for ‘disrespecting’ party leaders and distorting history.I say plus and minus, because while it is good that he exercised his opinion publicly, one aspect of it was positive, and another negative in what was overall a stance which reflected a refreshing break with the past.Hypocrisy and tribalism there is, of this we have no doubt, and the example Kazenambo mentioned was none other than former Prime Minister Hage Geingob himself.It is an open secret that while Geingob was in the past a loyal and trusted member of Sam Nujoma’s inner circle, things began to change when he challenged the party’s Vice Presidency some years back, and some began to hold his Damara roots against him.Quite why the fallout with Nujoma occurred is still the subject of intense debate, but it’s my view that this was not precipitated because of the tribal factor.It is more likely that Nujoma felt threatened.For the record, there are other Swapo leaders who would qualify far more as ‘tribalists’ than the former President himself.The latter has usually made efforts to be inclusive as possible of other ethnic groups in Namibia and was once a strong proponent of Geingob himself.But one cannot deny that feelings exist in certain sectors of Swapo that it is only a member of the ‘majority’ tribe who can ascend to the Presidency of the country! Nonsensical though this is, it nevertheless remains a factor and Kazenambo was right to point this out as well as the fact that our country’s institutions and structures should reflect our ethnic diversity.It’s a sad fact, but one would have to be either blind or completely ignorant to pretend tribalism doesn’t exist in the ruling party.While I agree with Kazenambo on the need to ‘air’ the tribal issue within the ruling party, I can’t agree with him in other aspects.While I subscribe fully to the ‘respect for elders’ argument, I look at it slightly differently to others.’Respect for elders’ means to treat them with respect.One allows them right of way in a physical sense, or attempts to assist them in any way possible, and the recent re-registration of pensioners is a case in point where such respect was not necessarily given to the elderly! But ‘respect’ certainly doesn’t mean one cannot criticise or disagree with them, especially when they are, and decide to remain, public figures, even after retirement age.Take the example of Pinochet.I don’t agree with those who argued he was too old and sick to go on trial for his reign of terror in Chile.There’s no reason why dictators shouldn’t be taken to task simply because they are old or infirm.Respect for the elderly surely shouldn’t extend to pardoning crimes against the people! Kazenambo’s political allegiance is well known, so it came as no surprise that he defended Nujoma against allegations that he had sent scores of Plan combatants to their death on April 1 1989.Swapo may not have been a ‘one-man show’ and had a military council as Kazenambo maintained, but nevertheless Nujoma had the power to give such an order.Point is, on this one, that history still needs to be told and that has not yet happened.I’ve said before, and I do again, that ‘Where Others Wavered’ is but one man’s view.A very important man, no doubt, but others need to tell their story too so that our history may be truthfully revealed, not shrouded in mystery and secrets as is the case at present.Finally, one doesn’t want a situation where everyone is at one another’s throats, in Swapo or elsewhere in the country for that matter.But at the same time, I’d be the first to welcome really open debate on a wide variety of issues, and it is positive that Kazenambo may hopefully have sparked such a discussion.This will hopefully spur others on to the realisation that things will not fall apart simply because there are dissenting voices on any given subject within Swapo.ON the plus side, Kazenambo reportedly took issue with colleagues for hypocrisy and tribalism; on the minus side, he faulted some for ‘disrespecting’ party leaders and distorting history.I say plus and minus, because while it is good that he exercised his opinion publicly, one aspect of it was positive, and another negative in what was overall a stance which reflected a refreshing break with the past.Hypocrisy and tribalism there is, of this we have no doubt, and the example Kazenambo mentioned was none other than former Prime Minister Hage Geingob himself.It is an open secret that while Geingob was in the past a loyal and trusted member of Sam Nujoma’s inner circle, things began to change when he challenged the party’s Vice Presidency some years back, and some began to hold his Damara roots against him.Quite why the fallout with Nujoma occurred is still the subject of intense debate, but it’s my view that this was not precipitated because of the tribal factor.It is more likely that Nujoma felt threatened.For the record, there are other Swapo leaders who would qualify far more as ‘tribalists’ than the former President himself.The latter has usually made efforts to be inclusive as possible of other ethnic groups in Namibia and was once a strong proponent of Geingob himself.But one cannot deny that feelings exist in certain sectors of Swapo that it is only a member of the ‘majority’ tribe who can ascend to the Presidency of the country! Nonsensical though this is, it nevertheless remains a factor and Kazenambo was right to point this out as well as the fact that our country’s institutions and structures should reflect our ethnic diversity.It’s a sad fact, but one would have to be either blind or completely ignorant to pretend tribalism doesn’t exist in the ruling party.While I agree with Kazenambo on the need to ‘air’ the tribal issue within the ruling party, I can’t agree with him in other aspects.While I subscribe fully to the ‘respect for elders’ argument, I look at it slightly differently to others.’Respect for elders’ means to treat them with respect.One allows them right of way in a physical sense, or attempts to assist them in any way possible, and the recent re-registration of pensioners is a case in point where such respect was not necessarily given to the elderly! But ‘respect’ certainly doesn’t mean one cannot criticise or disagree with them, especially when they are, and decide to remain, public figures, even after retirement age.Take the example of Pinochet.I don’t agree with those who argued he was too old and sick to go on trial for his reign of terror in Chile.There’s no reason why dictators shouldn’t be taken to task simply because they are old or infirm.Respect for the elderly surely shouldn’t extend to pardoning crimes against the people! Kazenambo’s political allegiance is well known, so it came as no surprise that he defended Nujoma against allegations that he had sent scores of Plan combatants to their death on April 1 1989.Swapo may not have been a ‘one-man show’ and had a military council as Kazenambo maintained, but nevertheless Nujoma had the power to give such an order.Point is, on this one, that history still needs to be told and that has not yet happened.I’ve said before, and I do again, that ‘Where Others Wavered’ is but one man’s view.A very important man, no doubt, but others need to tell their story too so that our history may be truthfully revealed, not shrouded in mystery and secrets as is the case at present.Finally, one doesn’t want a situation where everyone is at one another’s throats, in Swapo or elsewhere in the country for that matter.But at the same time, I’d be the first to welcome really open debate on a wide variety of issues, and it is positive that Kazenambo may hopefully have sparked such a discussion.

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