Martin-Olembe Antindi
Democracy, a western philosophy of a living style, politics and economy is the most dangerous and complex system ever to grow roots in the independent Africa of the third world.
History has exposed that most of the African libration movements turned to the socialist and eastern countries for aid and support in their struggle for their countries’ freedom.
Coming back to the title of the article, the Swapo that we have today is not the Swapo that history and leaders know.
This is attributed to the unregulated democracy that was glued into the constitution of the party.
What I suggest the party to stick to is the guided democracy, which should be in full force from the lowest ranks of the party structures, which are sections and branches that lay the foundation of the party leadership.
The Swapo party congress of 2017 was amassed by the highest disorder, disrespect and a demonstration of the highest discontent when a sitting president has to be challenged by some party members.
The worst part of the 2017 saga is that a sitting president has to be challenged by those he has appointed into ministerial positions.
This never sat well with me, and I took it as a deliberate demonstration of disrespect of the president; perpetuated in the name of apparent democracy, a sitting president was compelled to be paraded through an election process.
My recommendation is that for the position of president of the Swapo party, the Central Committee of the Party should vehemently nominate and endorse a qualified and competent member of the party to stand uncontested for the party president position.
The same should also flow for the secretaries of the wings of the party, the Swapo Party Youth League, women council and elders council, through their Central Committee, should nominate and endorse a reliable member of the party to take over or retain the leadership in the party for the sake of unity, solidarity and progress in the party as well as in the government.
Political contestation is good for practical democracy within the party – but from the past experiences, it has turned that members of the party attached emotions to their choices and sides that they stand for.
At the end of the day, a birth of hatred, factionalism and cliques comes to visible surfaces.
The only possible solution, alternative and everlasting strategies is to allow the elected Central Committee to pick, nominate and endorse a member for the key position in the party, like how the Chinese Communist Party (CCP) smoothly manage its internal politics, which, at end of the day, influence stability and harmony in its government.
What most people don’t get is that if there`s instability and disorganisation within the ruling party, that disorder transmits to the government and the entire state.
This is a status that will not produce an amicable atmosphere for development and proper service delivery, which are the core responsibilities of a responsible government.
Lastly, I would like to school and utter some Counselling words to my senior, a former editor of the Swapo party newspaper, Namibia Today, Comrade Asser Ntinda.
After having read a lot of opinions pieces penned by him, it is quiet clear that the old man is politically ill, full of rage and hared; his emotion is so much very vivid in his utterance.
I would like to advise him to come to peace with the current party leadership; government, anger and stress are not good for a person at his age.
Writers are the thinkers; philosophers are not just mere thinkers – they are also writers.
Comrade Asser, as a veteran writer, we want to see positive writing from him that will influence the paradigms and dynamics in the party – not a source of hatred, rage and emotions.