The Abuse of State Resources: Seeing the Wood for the Trees

KAPACHE VICTOR

ON 16 AUGUST 2022, a disturbing article appeared in The Namibian with the headline ‘Shaningwa Summons Swapo Oshana Executive to State House’.

It states that “Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa has summoned the members of the Swapo regional executive committee in the Oshana region and Swapo leaders assigned to the region to a meeting at State House”.

I assume this meeting was to be held with president Hage Geingob, who is also president of the ruling party, Swapo.

What is disturbing is that a political party meeting is held at State House which happens to be a government establishment built with taxpayers’ money.

Why a party political meeting cannot be held at the party’s offices (or somewhere under a tree in the absence of such offices) is beyond me.

This was not a government meeting but a party political meeting.

The fact that the country’s president is the political party’s president does not mean state resources are at the disposal of party political concerns.

It seems our leaders have become accustomed to misusing state resources and are no longer able to distinguish between party and state. They are not able to see the wood for the trees.

However, that there is no outcry from the media, civil society and opposition parties is as disturbing as the abuse itself.

Civil society and the media should not accept this type of thing as insignificant in the bigger objective of fighting the abuse of state resources.

This is how it starts. When nobody raises any concern, it provides those perpetrating these abuses with a green light to proceed.

The blurring of lines between party and state has prejudicial consequences for the promotion of truly democratic values, and on the functioning of state bureaucracy and public institutions.

It is a phenomenon that has no regard for merit nor sound governance.

Whether this specific invitation was honoured or not is neither here nor there. That such an invitation was sent out violates the principle of the separation of party and state and is truly concerning.

I shudder to think how many incidents of this nature are the order of the day.

What happened to the principle of the separation of party and state?

Or is there a marriage in community of property between the state and the governing party? (‘What is mine is yours and what is yours is mine’? Till death do us apart or, in this instance, till the voters do us part.)

It is a classic example of abuse of state resources for party political purposes.

It is important for the media and civil society to be alert to this, particularly during election campaigns, when it tends to be more prevalent.

All stakeholders need to be vigilant during this period and name and shame those who cannot distinguish between the separation of party and state.

I am sure this type of engagement has happened before as it is probably regarded as insignificant in the greater scheme of things.

However, remember what Jesus said in Luke 16:10: “Whoever can be trusted with small things can also be trusted with big things. Whoever is dishonest in little things will be dishonest in big things too…”

It is clear that our leaders cannot be trusted with the “small, insignificant” things of holding party political meetings at their political offices.

“Your status as governing party does not give you a blank cheque to the resources of the state.”

It is as simple as that, without a shred of doubt or contradiction.

* Adv Kapache Victor, acting head: State Law Advisory Services, Northern Cape Provincial Administration, Kimberley

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