The completion of 25 years of political independence with peace, security and stability in the manner that Namibia has done, is indeed unprecedented on the Afrikan continent and arguably in most of the world’s nations for the same period of nation-building and establishing of institutions that were non-existent at the time of independence and self-rule. Firstly, the Afrikan record shows that in the period between 1960 and 1985 there were over 80 coup détats or attempted coups across Afrika in the period that Namibia had none, except for the unfortunate hiccup by over-ambitious elements in the north-eastern tip of the country. South Africa which gained its liberation four years after Namibia’s independence already had one post-apartheid coup with the involuntary removal of President Thabo Mbeki in September 2008. This is the tapestry against which we have to appreciate what we celebrated last Saturday. Secondly, our silver jubilee coincided very neatly with the second transfer of power from one Head of State to the other, also in an unprecedented fashion in Afrika. One is certain that the many Afrikan Heads of State and Government who were in attendance were caught between equally strong emotions: on the one hand, they felt proud to witness real democracy at work and in progress in small country that is taking itself very seriously in the interests of all its citizens. On the other hand they must have felt a sense of shame that where they came from, there was strife and conflict due to their own refusal to let go of power. It is another of those moments when Namibia through its own narrative was educating older nations in Afrika about how it can and must be done if Afrika is to be respected around the world.
Since its foundation in 1990, Namibia has earned considerable appreciation for providing value-based governance systems and for imparting the ideals of democracy based upon the values of peace, security, stability, justice, unity, freedom and importantly inclusivity in the manner the country is governed by the leadership that wins a free and fair election. Herein lies excellence, a sense of discipline and high moral and ethical values, leading to the development of what is becoming the Namibian personality that can lead others in consultation. The precepts of Peace, Stability and Prosperity are there for all to see. What we saw was a process of awakening de novo the collective potential of Namibians to creatively look forward with confidence and faith with the knowledge and desire to excel in whatever we put our minds on as a nation with one history, one country and one future. It was noteworthy that the three Presidents the country produced thus far all have a sense of duty to nurture a people with strong values, and the youth that can leverage their individual strengths to march in tandem with all institutions towards our Grand Vision 2030.
The silver jubilee celebrations were not only about achievements and excellence but also a joyous moment to showcase the nation’s creative leadership talents and skills. The progress of a nation is assessed not only by economic development and well-being, but also the role its leaders play in instilling a culture, a discipline, a sense of confidence, a set of attitudes of cooperation with others and principled commitment to the country and the people based upon its national interests – those norms and values that beckon us to come together again even when and after we quarrel and disagree. Hence the Gods up high blessed the celebrations with good rains, as if to shower us all with drops of congratulations. In the context of the diversity of our country – the vast geographical expanse, the multiplicity of languages, political party traditions – it is noteworthy that our leaders over the last 25 years have been exceptionally adept at ensuring that all of us develop minds and hearts that are tolerant, accommodative, secular and integrative of all, known and unknown. Listening around during the farewell dinner for President Pohamba, our foreign visitors were in awe of what they were witnessing, not in Washington, D.C., but in Windhoek, in the Land of the Brave!
In this great process of nation-building and the reconstruction of the Namibian Personality, we owe our gratitude to our leaders of all political persuasions for the crucial role they played, knowingly and unknowingly, as the path-breakers of a nation which, in spite of its small size, is setting the trend and indeed the pace for a New Afrika. Our leaders, with all the weaknesses and challenges we have, are a true and new lamp that is beginning to light a hundred other lamps across the Afrikan continent. As a child of international solidarity, Namibia is taking its rightful place in the global society as a partner in defining the new world of equality and inclusivity at home and abroad – a world with equal opportunity for all according to their ability and needs
Our Constitution visualizes a nation at peace with itself, at peace with its neighbours and at peace with the rest of the international community. As a nation, it is our duty not only to seek to achieve another milestone, but to take the pledge further to see that we all work unceasingly to bridge the gap between the rich and the poor, between the land-rich and the land-hungry, between the haves and the have-nots, and to take the government to the people so that those who are in fortuitous positions of leaders are accountable to the people and not the appointing master alone. Wouldn’t it be more glorious a day when the citizens of the Land of the Brave take more pride in the symbols of their nation rather the symbols of their political parties? Wouldn’t it be a better day for ALL when our education system reaches a stage where learners internalize the self-evident truth that our country as a whole has a vested interest that its citizens should have the fullest opportunity of education, development and facilities for earning their livelihood? The new President is correct in his pledge that it is the duty of all of us to see that no one is left behind or left out in the pursuit of knowledge, excellence, and space to make a contribution to the welfare of all Namibians. It is humbling to appreciate that our leadership in all organs of state have always been alive to the needs of the people of the country in their diversity, taken cognizance of the need to pay attention to disaffected communities in the life of the nation.
The real meaning of the celebrations became real to me on Saturday while sitting amongst the crowds in the Independence Stadium. I wondered how the Presidents for Life from Africa and the bogus kings felt when witnessing the peaceful handover of the Presidency in Namibia. My mind flashed back to what President Obama said during the Nelson Mandela memorial service in Johannesburg in December 2013, when he challenged those Afrikan leaders crying for Mandela in the following words: ‘And so we, too, must act on behalf of justice. We, too, must act on behalf of peace. There are too many people who happily embrace Madiba’s legacy of racial reconciliation, but passionately resist even modest reforms that would challenge chronic poverty and growing inequality. There are too many leaders who claim solidarity with Madiba’s struggle for freedom, but do not tolerate dissent from their own people. And there are too many of us on the sidelines, comfortable in complacency or cynicism when our voices must be heard.’
I was wondering what these Presidents for Life were feeling when witnessing how far Namibia has come in consolidating the meaning of democracy and the altruism that those who govern derive their power from the people. The moment was during the handover of the symbols of power. Whatever was in those boxes, I felt that something big was happening. Pohamba was leaving and Geingob was coming in. Pohamba was exiting and Geingob was entering. They were both happy. It meant so much for them. I felt something. I have never seen this elsewhere. Then my favourite cultural performers, Ndilimani, came on and did what they do best, namely to sculpture the moment in song and dance. When Ndilimani belted ‘Hage tunana, Hage tulela’, I felt tears welling in my eyes. I did not know I could be affected like that; I had to conceal my face from those around me so that they did not see my vulnerability. My sense of citizenship was overwhelming. Then the lead singer said: Inclusivity spells peace. This was a big moment. Namibia was big in the family of Afrikan nations at that moment. I belonged to big people. I belonged to a proud culture, a proud civilization that fellow Afrikans never had, even though they are older. In one song Ndilimani marched us further along the trajectory of our becoming a better nation which looked beyond race, ethnicity or tribe. The rhythm this time was no longer Sema oulipeni, no longer Pohamba Ndhira dhipi wa yenda, but affirmatively Hage tunana, Hage tulela. Instead of asking where Sam was and what road Pohamba walked, they are imploring Hage, the new President, to lead, to take US ALL forward. I understood better the emphasis on Peace by the Father, Stability by the Uncle and Prosperity by the Big Brother of the nation.
A welcome affirmation of what Namibia was and is saying to herself and the world came from my old friend in Johannesburg, Morley Nkosi when commenting on what he sees happening in Namibia in terms of its management of history and change. He writes: ‘I am impressed and envious of Namibia’s achievements’. In his parting words to the nation and as he handed over power to his successor, the second President of the Republic, and the recipient of the 2014 Mo Ibrahim Prize for excellent leadership in Afrika spoke great words that ought to have injected shame in the hearts of many Afrikan leaders in attendance, when he said: ‘There is no title I shall wear more proudly than that of an ordinary citizen’. As the new President embarks on what he poignantly described as transactional and transformational leadership style for the next five years, we ought to join him in being, as he beckoned us, innovative, ingenuous and idealistic in our march to a better future for all with excitement and confidence. There are understandable rumblings of disappointment and disillusionment with regard to who benefitted from the dividends of peace and democracy. Like the President has admitted, the new administration is too top heavy and is difficult to countenance in the context of our failing education and health care systems, to mention but two. The anxiety that many people have about the calibre of the new leaders in the executive and what appears to be total misalignment between personages and roles, is legitimate. Let us allow time to allay those misgivings. Maybe we are in for positive surprises. Be that as it may, the direction is positive and deserving of honest support from all of us. Our criticism should aim at improving, not destroying what we have. As we congratulate our new Head of State and his team, we shall cheer them on to serve the nation in accord with the oath they have just taken, such that they deliver to the citizens of our Motherland without regard to race, tribe, gender, language, religion and political party affiliation quality and dignified services. In this process duty is ours to assist where we can and serve where we must. When we stand together as we did to our own amazement over the last 25 years, we can only do better. Let the coming days, weeks, months and years be for a better, brighter, and a more glorious Namibia!