Why Botswana Fares Better Than Namibia

TOURISTS who have made a tour through southern Africa often ask why it is that people living in Botswana have a higher living standard, better education standards, a better health system, and so on, than those in Namibia, although both countries have a similar socio-cultural background with a large part of the population living the way of semi-nomads.

They have the same sources of natural wealth, the same population number and the same problems in general. Both have a democratic constitution with a ruling party re-elected and in power since independence.In both countries the opposition parties are just a heap of broken pieces.The answer could be that in Botswana the ruling elite and their bureaucrats have been chosen mainly according to their proven record of experience and qualification.The number of civil servants is about half the size of Namibia’s.The country is not owned by a centralised Soviet-style party, which was formatted during the time of a more or less self-inflicted exile with the help of alien ideologues of the Soviet bloc in the Cold War times and the affiliated lunatic left of the West.The ruling South West African Peoples Organisation of Namibia is still trying to solve tomorrow’s problems with ideas from yesterday.They propagate still that they are the only political representatives of the Namibian people.They are still fighting against the imaginary enemies inside and outside Namibia.There is still a hostility against any intellectual confrontation.In true Stalinist fashion the history of Namibia is rewritten by selecting and bending the truth accordingly.They are avoiding facts and responsibilities of their own deeds of the recent past in government or done in the times of exile.In Botswana the system is more moderate.They learn from mistakes.They act in a responsible manner.Their policy is tested by evaluating the measures for a positive effect on the society.Ideology is vague.But they have nearly the same goals that the government of Namibia is propagating.Their main goal is to uplift the living conditions in all fields for all their citizens.However, in Namibia, the implementation of a positive development is distorted by the facts that skin colour and, most importantly, servility to the ruling party plays a major role.Comrades who emerge to be simple-minded crooks or act in a childish manner by buying golden fountain pens on the expenses of the taxpayer are protected against the consequences of their misbehaviour by the ruling authorities.The culture of non-accountability for anything is deeply entrenched in Namibia.Repeated talking nonsense or the uninterrupted delivery of half-truths is admired as wisdom, as can be heard in the daily Chat Shows and other programmes of the NBC.Wishful thinking is often the only motive for the announcement of unfeasible projects, which will never be realised.Limited resources are lavishly wasted again and again by paying the debts of comrades who grounded their parasitical Mickey Mouse companies.In Botswana the government is now at the forefront in the combat against AIDS.The president has given an example by telling the nation about his test result and is encouraging everybody to be tested.Only then a scientific way to combat the disease can be followed.In Namibia the government has no consistent AIDS policy.They leave it to the churches and the NGOs, who are following their own goals with money and programmes coming mainly from somewhere beyond the borders.Maybe, the government should hand over the rest of their responsibilities to the NGOs.Or, maybe they should learn from their neighbour Botswana.- Japie Van Wyk – Walvis BayBoth have a democratic constitution with a ruling party re-elected and in power since independence. In both countries the opposition parties are just a heap of broken pieces. The answer could be that in Botswana the ruling elite and their bureaucrats have been chosen mainly according to their proven record of experience and qualification. The number of civil servants is about half the size of Namibia’s. The country is not owned by a centralised Soviet-style party, which was formatted during the time of a more or less self-inflicted exile with the help of alien ideologues of the Soviet bloc in the Cold War times and the affiliated lunatic left of the West. The ruling South West African Peoples Organisation of Namibia is still trying to solve tomorrow’s problems with ideas from yesterday. They propagate still that they are the only political representatives of the Namibian people. They are still fighting against the imaginary enemies inside and outside Namibia. There is still a hostility against any intellectual confrontation. In true Stalinist fashion the history of Namibia is rewritten by selecting and bending the truth accordingly. They are avoiding facts and responsibilities of their own deeds of the recent past in government or done in the times of exile. In Botswana the system is more moderate. They learn from mistakes. They act in a responsible manner. Their policy is tested by evaluating the measures for a positive effect on the society. Ideology is vague. But they have nearly the same goals that the government of Namibia is propagating. Their main goal is to uplift the living conditions in all fields for all their citizens. However, in Namibia, the implementation of a positive development is distorted by the facts that skin colour and, most importantly, servility to the ruling party plays a major role. Comrades who emerge to be simple-minded crooks or act in a childish manner by buying golden fountain pens on the expenses of the taxpayer are protected against the consequences of their misbehaviour by the ruling authorities. The culture of non-accountability for anything is deeply entrenched in Namibia. Repeated talking nonsense or the uninterrupted delivery of half-truths is admired as wisdom, as can be heard in the daily Chat Shows and other programmes of the NBC. Wishful thinking is often the only motive for the announcement of unfeasible projects, which will never be realised. Limited resources are lavishly wasted again and again by paying the debts of comrades who grounded their parasitical Mickey Mouse companies. In Botswana the government is now at the forefront in the combat against AIDS. The president has given an example by telling the nation about his test result and is encouraging everybody to be tested. Only then a scientific way to combat the disease can be followed. In Namibia the government has no consistent AIDS policy. They leave it to the churches and the NGOs, who are following their own goals with money and programmes coming mainly from somewhere beyond the borders. Maybe, the government should hand over the rest of their responsibilities to the NGOs. Or, maybe they should learn from their neighbour Botswana.- Japie Van Wyk – Walvis Bay