Alfeus Lungameni Hamundja
“The voters’ register is the heart, it is the foundation, and if your name does not appear on it, you cannot vote because in terms of our records, you are not recognised as a registered voter. This process is crucial and very sensitive. We cannot register people who do not qualify to be registered, and in the history of our country, we never encountered any objection in our voters’ register, and we do not want that to happen”.
I am paraphrasing the words of the chairperson of the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN), Dr Elsie Nghikembwa, when she made a textbook statement during the two-week training for registration of voters’ officials in Swakopmund this year.
Fellow Namibians, stakeholders, civil society organisations, media representatives, political formations, students and fellow young people.
I cut my teeth in understanding life in the Land of the Brave [Namibia]. Despite challenges and difficulties this nation is going through, Namibia remains a shining example of democracy to the entire African continent and by extension to the world.
We recently celebrated the 34th anniversary of our independence under the theme ‘A people united for prosperity’. In other countries, war, coups and political unrest have become a norm.
The smooth transition of power to the fourth president of Namibia, Dr Nangolo Mbumba remains a statement that proves that we are indeed a shining light of democracy.
Learning from history, I discovered that Namibia is the only country on the African continent that hosts two flags: The national flag and the African Union flag. We are the only country that sings two anthems: The national anthem and the AU anthem out of 54 and half countries on the entire continent today.
This country is renowned for it ‘sdistinctive scenery, peace, stability, and kind people. We had never experienced any political instability since we attained our independence on 21 March 1990. And it will never happen here.
Not here. Why? Dr Sam Nujoma, in his inaugural speech as the first president of Namibia, said: “Namibia will forever be free”.
As a 28-year-old, I am very proud of our leaders, and I make no apologies when I am personal about the achievements and the roles of Namibia on the African continent and to the world.
And I want all of us Namibians to be unapologetic when we defend the land of the brave.
I want us to be proud and confident when we develop our people and the places where we live.
We are a shinning example of progress.
Namibia is a small country, but we are the citadel of peace and stability in the world. My friends, the statements that our ambassador to the United Nations, Neville Gertze and the textbook statement made by our justice minister at the ICC in the Netherlands become anthems of solidarity to support world peace.
We are indeed a friend to all and an enemy to none.
Back home, our democracy is mature. Every five years, people go to an election to bring about a certain order of governance or a certain reality of how people must live as citizen,s and to establish a new understanding between the governor and the governed.
Fellow Namibians, allow me to address the increasing apathy in elections in Namibia, especially among our youths.
The reality is that our youths are turned off in many ways, and that is why they lack interest in politics or even in participating in elections. Let us change this.
Here is the solution: education is needed.
Our people have been mis-educated about politics. My friends, politics, according to the Greeks, is the participation of people in the decision-making of the affairs of the community. Therefore, we should teach our children that to become a politician is a noble profession; to serve people with humility.
Thanks to the ECN for introducing various programmes and strategies, including the youth ambassadors.
Let us make sure we help drive our youths to exercise their democratic right to register and to vote. Much is needed to influence people to vote, and much is needed to solve the higher unemployment epidemic in Namibia.
Fellow Namibians, the word ‘citizens’ appears 55 times in the Namibian Constitution.
Therefore, the role of all of us as citizens should be to strengthen the system of governance in the Republic of Namibia that will make Namibians proud to be Namibians, confident to work as Namibians, powerful to contribute as Namibians, relevant to participate in the world as Namibians, resourced to live well as Namibians, knowledgeable to have interactions, and dialogue with other people in the world, as Namibians.
In conclusion, the duty is ours in God’s event. We are not yet what we shall be. We are not yet what we want to be. But thank God we are not what we were.
May the wind of change, push all of us forward from 3 June 2024 to 8 August 2024 to register for the elections and to vote on 27 November 2024 for the candidate/party on merit.
This is the only way to see the relevance, the power, the greatness and the glory of Namibians as the epicentre for African reconstruction and development. It is an undisputed fact that human life began in Africa, so Africans, we have the duty to teach other civilszations how to be human.
Long live Namibia, the child of international solidarity, midwifed by the United Nations.
* Alfeus Lungameni Hamundja lives in the Ohangwena region and can be contacted on 081689856.