Lahja Nashuuta
A manifesto should be detailed, practical and forward-thinking, providing feasible solutions while instilling hope and trust in the electorate, an analyst says.
Local political commentators are furthermore advising political parties and independent candidates to craft manifestos that are specific, practical and clear.
The manifestos should be accompanied by a detailed action plan with realistic timelines and measurable outcomes.
This is in a bid to approach things differently than typical manifesto-creation models that include hiring consultants to come up with concepts far detached from reality.
This year’s election campaigns happened during the advent of artificial intelligence, which has seen many take the backseat, leaving artificial intelligence to do all the work.
Dose
Ndumba Kamwanyah, a political analyst and lecturer at the University of Namibia, emphasised the significance of inclusivity.
He said the manifestos need to address the needs of diverse groups, including marginalised communities, youth, women and people with disabilities.
He said parties should involve citizens in the manifesto creation process to ensure their concerns and aspirations are reflected, and it must have economic viability.
“Given the economic challenges, manifestos should present financially sound policies with clear funding strategies,” he said.
He emphasised that election manifestos are more than just campaign tools. They are commitments to the electorate.
“Their quality and adherence to promises significantly influence public trust in political institutions,” he said.
Gauging the previous election manifesto, Kamwanyah said some promises from the 2019 manifestos have seen partial fulfilment, while others remain a mirage or are collecting dust in political cabinets.
“The quality of political parties’ manifestos in Namibia has varied. Some manifestos have been well-researched, detailed and specific, providing clear action plans and measurable goals. Others, however, have been criticised for being vague, overly ambitious without practical implementation strategies or lacking in depth. The effectiveness of manifestos depends on various factors, including the political will, resources and unforeseen challenges during the implementation phase,” he said.
Kamwanyah maintained that manifestos serve as a crucial communication tool, providing voters with a clear understanding of a party’s vision and priorities.
He said manifestos play a significant role in the election process, as they help voters make informed decisions, compare different parties’ offerings, and hold elected officials accountable for their promises.
Priorities
Another political analyst, Wade Henckert, said that given the country’s ongoing challenges with issues like the economy, employment, education, healthcare, corruption and the environment, it is expected that the new manifestos will tackle these problems with urgency.
He said one of the important aspects that people are hoping to see in the 2024 manifestos is a strong focus on building a more resilient and innovative economy.
“Namibian political parties are likely to suggest creative solutions to boost economic growth, attract investments and make the country more competitive. This could involve ideas like embracing digital technology, supporting small businesses, and using Namibia’s natural resources in a more sustainable way,” he added.
He further said manifestos should include concrete proposals for improving social welfare, increasing access to quality education and healthcare, and ensuring equitable resource distribution.
This includes addressing the needs of marginalised populations as well as advocating for gender equality and youth empowerment.
Henckert defines election manifestos as an agreement between the political parties and the voters.
They outline the promises that parties make to tackle important national issues, including economic growth, social welfare, education, healthcare and improved governance.
“A well-written manifesto should be detailed, practical and forward-thinking, providing feasible solutions while instilling hope and trust in the electorate,” he said.
Economic diversification, employment development and public service improvement were all prioritised between 2019 and 2025.
2019
Going down memory lane, the ruling party’s 2019 manifesto focused on economic growth through industrialisation, agricultural development and infrastructure development.
Swapo’s manifesto was also hinged on fighting corruption, and enhancing governance.
However, the efficacy of these manifestos in meeting their claimed objectives has been uneven, Henckert said.
“While there has been considerable success in infrastructural development and legislative reforms, the country still faces substantial issues such as high unemployment, economic inequality, and systemic corruption,” he said.
On the other hand, the Popular Democratic Movement and other opposition parties issued manifestos centred on similar issues such as economic change, education and anti-corruption measures, he said.
“These manifestos were well-received due to their specific policy ideas and focus on accountability,” he said.
Accountability
The Institute for Public Policy Research executive director Graham Hopwood said “The manifesto is also an important reference document after the election has taken place in that citizens can hold political parties to their promises and/or can appeal to party representatives who win seats in the National Assembly to push for change based on the promises made”.
He argued that parties place little effort in the write-up of their manifestos that few new ideas are presented, little substance is provided with respect to how parties will fund their large idealistic goals, and little effort is made to convince voters why they should vote for said party.
He maintained that political parties often focus on elections as an event, and focus their communications on the campaign period, rather than viewing their communications in line with the entire electoral cycle.
“The electorate, as part of its right to participate in political activity, needs to be informed on how political parties and political candidates are addressing the key issues that come up in society and parliament. They need to know that the party they voted for is dedicated to fighting for the issues they said they would fight for. They need to be engaged earnestly and on an ongoing basis. And they need promises to be coupled with action,” he said.
“The past manifestos are mostly general statements without significant substantial differences regarding developmental strategies. The blind belief in capitalist market economies and foreign investments characterises most manifestos. Alternative development approaches were hardly presented thus far,” said Herbert Jauch, a senior political analyst.
(Manifestos)
Caption:
Pro bono… Local analysts have shared a myriad of tips on how parties and candidates can go about their election manifestos.
Photo: Nampa