* WHY not start investing in solar power for domestic use than asking a senseless question of the choice between load shedding and increased tariffs if there will be increases anyway? – Norman Tjombe
* WHAT nation are we building when we can’t talk about the past, how can you build the future without closure from the past, when only one tribe is enriching themselves, the demands of the mighty Swapo more important than the hunger and hopelessness of the nation, church leaders awfully quiet as their flock is bleeding. It is in times like these that the silence of your friends is more painful than the nepotism, tribalism, looting of state coffers, corruption of State officials, further humiliation and degradation of the minority tribes. * MAMA Africa you are rich yet your children forever enslaved by the greed of liberators turned dictators, freedom fighters turn perpetrators of injustice.Food for thought* “YOU touch Zanu-PF, you touch Swapo.” Uncle Sam Nujoma what a disquieting silence? Can you advise your comrade to make an honourable exit?* THE writing is on the wall for SADC leaders. Robert Mugabe was beaten in presidential elections. Why are all the leaders not saying anything? What are they waiting for? Now Mugabe is demanding a re-count of a result that only he knows? Wake up SADC leaders and smell the coffee.* WHY is it only the Ministry of Education that responds to the SMSes? Other ministries must also wake up, especially the Ministry of Health.* I WANT to know why the University of Namibia offers a B Juris degree programme while there is no employment for graduates. The Ministry of Justice got millions of dollars but yet doesn’t provide jobs for us graduates. There is a shortage of public prosecutors in all 13 regions but the ministry is reluctant to give us jobs. It’s painful to stay unemployed with a degree while others are enjoying the fruits of this country without having even a Grade 10 certificate. Where does the Ministry of Justice want us to go?Politics in general* MINISTER Jerry Ekandjo, every time you open your mouth you embarrass me. HH is an intelligent and a humble man, unlike the immature you.* RDP members let’s work hard and break down the two-thirds majority abused by Swapo. Let’s not allow Ekandjo’s joke of one-party rule to happen in Namibia, we will suffer the consequences.* SOME RDP members were councillors and parliamentarians but now they are claiming that Swapo always wins through dirty tactics. They knew this was happening when they accepted positions in Swapo but now they want to tarnish Swapo’s name.* MISTER Hidipo Hamutenya since when has the use of Government resources to campaign become an issue when you yourself did the same when you were in Swapo and you will probably do the same if you are elected to power.* LET it be a warning to the Swapo leadership. Your organisation spearheaded the liberation struggle and that is the only language the present generation seems to understand. Two decades ago Zanu-PF enjoyed the same political power. Look at the situation now. Zimbabweans have been pushed into rejecting their own liberation heroes. Don’t dare say ‘it will not happen here’.* POLITICAL leaders, particularly Africans, should note from the examples of other states that perpetual leaderships will lead to the loss of heroism and break down of the economy. Exchange leaderships to give room for collective leadership approach. – Katanga.* KADIVA Nghipondoka should not claim that she was a member of RDP. If she was indeed a member, the RDP Youth League challenges her to produce her RDP membership card which shows that she joined the progressive party. We are clever enough to know all the tricks Swapo is using to fool the youth of Namibia.* I WOULD like to see the memorial service of the late Honourable Kala Gertze held at the Parliament Gardens three weeks ago on NBC TV. Or is the broadcasting particularly only meant for Swapo members?* HOW can Mr Victor Tonchi make such a statement regarding Robert Mugabe? If any leader should be given an award for ruining such a wonderful place as he has, he qualifies. Unfortunately for the Zimbabwean people they are now in the hands of a very dangerous man who can only arrest, injure or even kill as a measure of his power. The only problem now is that the people have had enough and they are going to die for their rights. Mugabe is not the leader of twenty-eight years ago that did so much for his country.* THIS is directed to Tonchi. He says Mugabe has no reason to flee, but at the same time he says he does not know the reasons which would make him flee. My advice to him is to keep quiet and leave it those who know.Thank you* TONCHI’S assessment of Mugabe must make him the most uninformed political observer on the planet!* TONCHI says President Mugabe has no reason to flee Zimbabwe. Mr Tonchi is better advised to shut up. Does he not know the massacres committed by Mugabe and his troops in Matabeleland, Chitungwisa. He should not expose his naivety and ignorance.* MR Victor Tonchi you were sent to Zimbabwe as an elections observer and not a political analyst to tell your trash of who might have committed a crime, worried or wanting to flee the country. Your job was whether the elections were free and fair. Why are the presidential results delayed? Is Zanu-PF taking Zimbabwe hostage with Namibia’s blessing? Mr Tonchi, your presence in Zimbabwe is an insult to democracy. Can you tell the nation when you are re-instating ECN Director Phillemon Kanime?* I AM a young black Namibian student. Why do I always feel not taken seriously by our leaders and State media when they claim all is well in Africa, also so about Mugabe and Zimbabwe. It’s time that leaders in Africa are made to pay for what they do to their country and people. Put Mugabe before a court and if guilty he should spend the rest of his days in the same jail he put his political opponents.* THIS goes to opposition party supporters who tend to attack Governor Nghaamwa. Concentrate on your parties and find ways and means how to get in power. You don’t have to accuse him. We know and appreciate what he did. Governor, let them talk!* LADIES and gentlemen, Swapo wanting 71 seats in Parliament smacks of selfishness. Currently Swapo holds the majority seats with which they steamroller the voting process. Please do us Namibians a favour and give 51% of the seats away.* THE writer of an e-mail poem which celebrates the death of RDP in Eenhana should have his facts right, because some of the people he mentioned in the ode currently being circulated in Eenhana are neither members of RDP nor are they part of the RDP structure. The fact that he chose to hide behind an e-mail does not only show his cowardice but also portrays how vulnerable he is. By the way, has this poet noticed that RDP has drawn most of its support from Eenhana town where less than 600 voters cast their votes unlike Swapo who ferried voters from the neighbouring constituencies of Epembe, Omulonga and Omundaungilo. The truth of the matter is that the Eenhana local authority has fallen to RDP, come the 2009 local elections. RDP will then consolidate its power from there. This celebration is therefore short-lived, so watch out for 2009!* I THINK it is now time for the UN to adopt a universal declaration on how elections should be conducted in member countries. Look at Zimbabwe, one dictator who does not have conscience about his own people is holding them hostage. There is no better expression save to say we are ignorant and leaders of the liberation struggles think that the countries are theirs. Shame on you.From the regions* PLEASE, Government save Caprivi from serial killers. Some councillors need to be investigated.* TOWNS in communal areas must think before they fine people for keeping their animals in town boundaries, since every year the borders are moving into areas inhabited by communal farmers. They must know that they are operating in communal lands but not where it is illegal to fence off a piece of land. Why can’t they put a fence around the town? Our donkeys travel 13 km to Oshakati, which means everybody owning animals within such radius must be relocated. The Government must also stop creating thousands of towns on communal land if they cannot even manage a single sewerage pond.* TELECOM Mariental, it is now a week since the telephones in the Aimablaagte Roman Catholic mission building have not been working. Why should your office put us through this inconvenience, without letting us know what the reason for taking this long is? We want to continue with our work in the offices and we can only do that if you fix the lines. No excuses please, it’s been too long already.Education* PLEASE, the Ministry of Education must come to the rescue of students at the University of Namibia. As a nation how should we ensure quality education if lecturers are not supervised. The way lecturers behave themselves is totally unacceptable. Some of them have no time to discuss with students and some do not monitor how the students are progressing. We want to have quality education at Unam. Lecturers should be supervised in order to monitor and evaluate their performance, they should always provide full information to the student. That’s the only way we can ensure quality education.* POLYTECHNIC of Namibia’s lecturers: Why do some lecturers in land management department humiliate students publicly? Why embarrass students? Lecturers should show respect towards their students, criticise positively to motivate students to do better and not mock us.* I WOULD like to find out from the Ministry of Education what their main aim is for sending young Namibians to study maths and science in Zimbabwe. Those people are jobless especially those who graduated last year and yet more are sent to study the same subjects every year. Nigerians are sent to our schools claiming that there are no qualified science teachers in Namibian schools. Please respond urgently. – Shipeta* WE blame the Ministry of Education when our kids don’t do well in Grade 10. I put the blame on us parents for not supervising our children’s studies. They are at the clubs on weekends. During the week they are up and down in the streets until around 21h00. It is only in October when they remember they have to study. How do they think they can do the whole year’s work within 2-3 weeks? Please parents, guide the children while you are still around. My concern is, the students who take their work seriously do pass Grade 10.* JUST to respond to the SMS that college lecturers should be compared to school teachers. How unfair because a learner cannot be equal to his teacher.* EDUCATION Minister, English is a problem to the learners we are teaching. What do you expect from learners in Grade 12 who cannot express themselves in English. You can provide enough textbooks but learners fail to understand the content. Learners must be taught in English from Grade 1 to Grade 12. It’s the reason that you can find a Grade 12 graduate with 32 or 38 points and E or F symbol in English. Note that private schools are performing well and learners are fluent in English simply because English is used as a medium of instruction from Grade 1 to Grade 12. Again, children acquire a language well during childhood not during adulthood. Let’s try it.* NGARIKUTUKE Tjiriange as per your claims that the former white schools are still better equipped than other schools. What did you expect, transfer equipment from one school to other after Independence or what? Our country is now 18 years Independent, just name one senior secondary school built by the Government of the day, with the same qualities of former white schools. Stop blaming the past and do something to improve the lives of the people you claim you fought for. Whites did likewise when they were in power, that’s why they don’t send their kids to Katutura for school, while we still queue at theirs after 18 years.Words of appreciation* THANK you Meggy from the 112 emergency service. Your speedy response saved lives in that horrific accident. We need more people like you in Namibia.General* THE Government cannot be held to ransom over paying for the studies of its employees. If they pay for one, more will follow. Nkandi-Shiimi should be thankful to have a job !* STUDY fees for Dr Shiimi: What madness is this! Let her resign. Why must the taxpayer foot the bill and why get an MBA overseas? South Africa offers the same. Please someone stop this gravy train!* DOCTOR Shiimi should cover her study expenses with her salary. Let the Ministry of Health give student nurses a monthly allowance who are doing their practice free of charge in hospitals.* PLEASE Honourable Minister of Health, make sure Dr Shiimi does not get a ministry loan to study. An MBA is not in line with her job, neither according to policy. Let her resign, the hospital will be better off without her, believe me.* I AM a very concerned citizen of this beautiful country of ours. I am disturbed that most people in higher positions of public services want their slice of cake buttered both sides. The case in point is of Dr. Helen Nkandi-Shiimi of the Ministry of Health. What a shame. Why can’t she just resign instead of holding Government to ransom.* TWINKLE, twinkle little star (Dr Shiimi): what audacity to threaten to resign unless MBA costs overseas are covered. You are on a senior management salary with overtime, but you are never available. You are paid for work not done. There is no management.* HONOURABLE Kala Gertze you have been silenced in Parliament, in death your voice is forever gone, but your suffering and that of the ex-detainees will be demanded from the grandchildren of the ruling elite by your grandchildren.* THE United Lutheran Church Council pronouncement is overdue. The church has always been the voice of the oppressed, the voice of the voiceless. That’s the role to play as a social and religious institution.* I SALUTE the brave Bishops on speaking out against politically motivated intimidation and irresponsible Government leadership. It is the church’s duty to be on the side of the oppressed. Well done!* I THANK the Lutheran congregation for heeding the voice of God by telling the nation what God is saying about the behaviour in society. It must be understood that the church is God’s mouthpiece from which the society should receive advice including political parties and Government. Thank you for awakening the body of Christ to stand against evil. – Yatepuka* MAMA Africa you are rich yet your children forever enslaved by the greed of liberators turned dictators, freedom fighters turn perpetrators of injustice.Food for thought * “YOU touch Zanu-PF, you touch Swapo.” Uncle Sam Nujoma what a disquieting silence? Can you advise your comrade to make an honourable exit? * THE writing is on the wall for SADC leaders. Robert Mugabe was beaten in presidential elections. Why are all the leaders not saying anything? What are they waiting for? Now Mugabe is demanding a re-count of a result that only he knows? Wake up SADC leaders and smell the coffee.* WHY is it only the Ministry of Education that responds to the SMSes? Other ministries must also wake up, especially the Ministry of Health.* I WANT to know why the University of Namibia offers a B Juris degree programme while there is no employment for graduates. The Ministry of Justice got millions of dollars but yet doesn’t provide jobs for us graduates. There is a shortage of public prosecutors in all 13 regions but the ministry is reluctant to give us jobs. It’s painful to stay unemployed with a degree while others are enjoying the fruits of this country without having even a Grade 10 certificate. Where does the Ministry of Justice want us to go? Politics in general * MINISTER Jerry Ekandjo, every time you open your mouth you embarrass me. HH is an intelligent and a humble man, unlike the immature you.* RDP members let’s work hard and break down the two-thirds majority abused by Swapo. Let’s not allow Ekandjo’s joke of one-party rule to happen in Namibia, we will suffer the consequences.* SOME RDP members were councillors and parliamentarians but now they are claiming that Swapo always wins through dirty tactics. They knew this was happening when they accepted positions in Swapo but now they want to tarnish Swapo’s name.* MISTER Hidipo Hamutenya since when has the use of Government resources to campaign become an issue when you yourself did the same when you were in Swapo and you will probably do the same if you are elected to power.* LET it be a warning to the Swapo leadership. Your organisation spearheaded the liberation struggle and that is the only language the present generation seems to understand. Two decades ago Zanu-PF enjoyed the same political power. Look at the situation now. Zimbabweans have been pushed into rejecting their own liberation heroes. Don’t dare say ‘it will not happen here’.* POLITICAL leaders, particularly Africans, should note from the examples of other states that perpetual leaderships will lead to the loss of heroism and break down of the economy. Exchange leaderships to give room for collective leadership approach. – Katanga.* KADIVA Nghipondoka should not claim that she was a member of RDP. If she was indeed a member, the RDP Youth League challenges her to produce her RDP membership card which shows that she joined the progressive party. We are clever enough to know all the tricks Swapo is using to fool the youth of Namibia.* I WOULD like to see the memorial service of the late Honourable Kala Gertze held at the Parliament Gardens three weeks ago on NBC TV. Or is the broadcasting particularly only meant for Swapo members? * HOW can Mr Victor Tonchi make such a statement regarding Robert Mugabe? If any leader should be given an award for ruining such a wonderful place as he has, he qualifies. Unfortunately for the Zimbabwean people they are now in the hands of a very dangerous man who can only arrest, injure or even kill as a measure of his power. The only problem now is that the people have had enough and they are going to die for their rights. Mugabe is not the leader of twenty-eight years ago that did so much for his country.* THIS is directed to Tonchi. He says Mugabe has no reason to flee, but at the same time he says he does not know the reasons which would make him flee. My advice to him is to keep quiet and leave it those who know.Thank you * TONCHI’S assessment of Mugabe must make him the most uninformed political observer on the planet! * TONCHI says President Mugabe has no reason to flee Zimbabwe. Mr Tonchi is better advised to shut up. Does he not know the massacres committed by Mugabe and his troops in Matabeleland, Chitungwisa. He should not expose his naivety and ignorance.* MR Victor Tonchi you were sent to Zimbabwe as an elections observer and not a political analyst to tell your trash of who might have committed a crime, worried or wanting to flee the country. Your job was whether the elections were free and fair. Why are the presidential results delayed? Is Zanu-PF taking Zimbabwe hostage with Namibia’s blessing? Mr Tonchi, your presence in Zimbabwe is an insult to democracy. Can you tell the nation when you are re-instating ECN Director Phillemon Kanime? * I AM a young black Namibian student. Why do I always feel not taken seriously by our leaders and State media when they claim all is well in Africa, also so about Mugabe and Zimbabwe. It’s time that leaders in Africa are made to pay for what they do to their country and people. Put Mugabe before a court and if guilty he should spend the rest of his days in the same jail he put his political opponents.* THIS goes to opposition party supporters who tend to attack Governor Nghaamwa. Concentrate on your parties and find ways and means how to get in power. You don’t have to accuse him. We know and appreciate what he did. Governor, let them talk! * LADIES and gentlemen, Swapo wanting 71 seats in Parliament smacks of selfishness. Currently Swapo holds the majority seats with which they steamroller the voting process. Please do us Namibians a favour and give 51% of the seats away.* THE writer of an e-mail poem which celebrates the death of RDP in Eenhana should have his facts right, because some of the people he mentioned in the ode currently being circulated in Eenhana are neither members of RDP nor are they part of the RDP structure. The fact that he chose to hide behind an e-mail does not only show his cowardice but also portrays how vulnerable he is. By the way, has this poet noticed that RDP has drawn most of its support from Eenhana town where less than 600 voters cast their votes unlike Swapo who ferried voters from the neighbouring constituencies of Epembe, Omulonga and Omundaungilo. The truth of the matter is that the Eenhana local authority has fallen to RDP, come the 2009 local elections. RDP will then consolidate its power from there. This celebration is therefore short-lived, so watch out for 2009! * I THINK it is now time for the UN to adopt a universal declaration on how elections should be conducted in member countries. Look at Zimbabwe, one dictator who does not have conscience about his own people is holding them hostage. There is no better expression save to say we are ignorant and leaders of the liberation struggles think that the countries are theirs. Shame on you.From the regions * PLEASE, Government save Caprivi from serial killers. Some councillors need to be investigated.* TOWNS in communal areas must think before they fine people for keeping their animals in town boundaries, since every year the borders are moving into areas inhabited by communal farmers. They must know that they are operating in communal lands but not where it is illegal to fence off a piece of land. Why can’t they put a fence around the town? Our donkeys travel 13 km to Oshakati, which means everybody owning animals within such radius must be relocated. The Government must also stop creating thousands of towns on communal land if they cannot even manage a single sewerage pond.* TELECOM Mariental, it is now a week since the telephones in the Aimablaagte Roman Catholic mission building have not been working. Why should your office put us through this inconvenience, without letting us know what the reason for taking this long is? We want to continue with our work in the offices and we can only do that if you fix the lines. No excuses please, it’s been too long already.Education * PLEASE, the Ministry of Education must come to the rescue of students at the University of Namibia. As a nation how should we ensure quality education if lecturers are not supervised. The way lecturers behave themselves is totally unacceptable. Some of them have no time to discuss with students and some do not monitor how the students are progressing. We want to have quality education at Unam. Lecturers should be supervised in order to monitor and evaluate their performance, they should always provide full information to the student. That’s the only way we can ensure quality education.* POLYTECHNIC of Namibia’s lecturers: Why do some lecturers in land management department humiliate students publicly? Why embarrass students? Lecturers should show respect towards their students, criticise positively to motivate students to do better and not mock us.* I WOULD like to find out from the Ministry of Education what their main aim is for sending young Namibians to study maths and science in Zimbabwe. Those people are jobless especially those who graduated last year and yet more are sent to study the same subjects every year. Nigerians are sent to our schools claiming that there are no qualified science teachers in Namibian schools. Please respond urgently. – Shipeta * WE blame the Ministry of Education when our kids don’t do well in Grade 10. I put the blame on us parents for not supervising our children’s studies. They are at the clubs on weekends. During the week they are up and down in the streets until around 21h00. It is only in October when they remember they have to study. How do they think they can do the whole year’s work within 2-3 weeks? Please parents, guide the children while you are still around. My concern is, the students who take their work seriously do pass Grade 10.* JUST to respond to the SMS that college lecturers should be compared to school teachers. How unfair because a learner cannot be equal to his teacher.* EDUCATION Minister, English is a problem to the learners we are teaching. What do you expect from learners in Grade 12 who cannot express themselves in English. You can provide enough textbooks but learners fail to understand the content. Learners must be taught in English from Grade 1 to Grade 12. It’s the reason that you can find a Grade 12 graduate with 32 or 38 points and E or F symbol in English. Note that private schools are performing well and learners are fluent in English simply because English is used as a medium of instruction from Grade 1 to Grade 12. Again, children acquire a language well during childhood not during adulthood. Let’s try it.* NGARIKUTUKE Tjiriange as per your claims that the former white schools are still better equipped than other schools. What did you expect, transfer equipment from one school to other after Independence or what? Our country is now 18 years Independent, just name one senior secondary school built by the Government of the day, with the same qualities of former white schools. Stop blaming the past and do something to improve the lives of the people you claim you fought for. Whites did likewise when they were in power, that’s why they don’t send their kids to Katutura for school, while we still queue at theirs after 18 years.Words of appreciation * THANK you Meggy from the 112 emergency service. Your speedy response saved lives in that horrific accident. We need more people like you in Namibia.General * THE Government cannot be held to ransom over paying for the studies of its employees. If they pay for one, more will follow. Nkandi-Shiimi should be thankful to have a job ! * STUDY fees for Dr Shiimi: What madness is this! Let her resign. Why must the taxpayer foot the bill and why get an MBA overseas? South Africa offers the same. Please someone stop this gravy train! * DOCTOR Shiimi should cover her study expenses with her salary. Let the Ministry of Health give student nurses a monthly allowance who are doing their practice free of charge in hospitals.* PLEASE Honourable Minister of Health, make sure Dr Shiimi does not get a ministry loan to study. An MBA is not in line with her job, neither according to policy. Let her resign, the hospital will be better off without her, believe me.* I AM a very concerned citizen of this beautiful country of ours. I am disturbed that most people in higher positions of public services want their slice of cake buttered both sides. The case in point is of Dr. Helen Nkandi-Shiimi of the Ministry of Health. What a shame. Why can’t she just resign instead of holding Government to ransom.* TWINKLE, twinkle little star (Dr Shiimi): what audacity to threaten to resign unless MBA costs overseas are covered. You are on a senior management salary with overtime, but you are never available. You are paid for work not done. There is no management.* HONOURABLE Kala Gertze you have been silenced in Parliament, in death your voice is forever gone, but your suffering and that of the ex-detainees will be demanded from the grandchildren of the ruling elite by your grandchildren.* THE United Lutheran Church Council pronouncement is overdue. The church has always been the voice of the oppressed, the voice of the voiceless. That’s the role to play as a social and religious institution.* I SALUTE the brave Bishops on speaking out against politically motivated intimidation and irresponsible Government leadership. It is the church’s duty to be on the side of the oppressed. Well done! * I THANK the Lutheran congregation for heeding the voice of God by telling the nation what God is saying about the behaviour in society. It must be understood that the church is God’s mouthpiece from which the society should receive advice including political parties and Government. Thank you for awakening the body of Christ to stand against evil. – Yatepuka
