I was asked by several persons to comment on the redline court case that played itself out last week. I observed the proceedings with keen interest. 

First, there is morally something very wrong about having this line, 35 years after independence. It should have been sorted a long time ago. 

Second, the racial and ethnic undertones of the debate are very unfortunate. Third, Namibia is one country, and a unitary State under one Constitution. There is, thus, no moral logic to keep the country divided because of meat – beef and dogmeat to be exact. 

If it is indeed about health considerations, the State has a responsibility to regulate the matter, and put health measures in place so that goods and services can move around the whole country without hindrance. Prof. Job Amupanda did himself a terrible disservice by being so unprepared. 

The Affirmative Repositioning leader has a very unhelpful habit of seeing every public opportunity as a moment for him to grandstand and offer a half-baked pseudo-revolutionary pep talk under the guise of a self-made Thomas Sankara of Namibia in interesting homemade military outfits. 

That does not serve him well. 

The case he boldly took to court under the law and court of public opinion is a relevant and serious matter, deserving of national attention. 

The error Prof. Amupanda made was to take it on alone in the furtherance of his political ambition, and his case capsized. 

The difficulty with Prof. Amupanda’s leadership model is that he wants to shine alone. 

He was inclined to underestimate everyone else in the room. 

Further, because he is so self-focused, he is oblivious to the bigger picture. 

His case would have been stronger if he left politics at home and prosecuted his case on the law. 

As a result of unpreparedness, he speaks in half-sentence and incoherently with bad grammar all over the place. An intellectual of his stature ought to be more eloquent and inspirational. 

Sankara was very eloquent. 

His successor Ibrahim Traore is very eloquent and thoughtful. 

Ideally, he ought to have brought with him witnesses who are victims of the line that operates along the old colonial fears of black-owned cattle and other animals. 

It cannot be right that because of the animals in the north, by the mere fact that they are reared by Oshiwambo, RuKavango and Caprivian-language speakers, these animals are inherently unhealthy and would make Europeans sick if they ate their meat. 

If that is so, then why do the tourists and VIPs who eat this meat when they are north of the line not get sick? 

Or, what exactly is the matter that cannot be sorted with proper animal health regulations? 

Again, the fault is all of us. 

Prof. Amupanda is merely exposing our inability as a nation to run our affairs with self-respect and dignity. 

It is most likely that the defendants in the case will be granted the absolution they prayed for, with more prepared and confident jurists. Then, the matter returns where it belongs: the government must tackle this matter once and for all – and not to please Europe or America but in the interest of Namibia and Namibians.