Uakutura Kambaekwa 

Adolf Kaure 

The media industry in Namibia has faced criticism from Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) president McHenry Venaani. 

He stated that journalism in Namibia is not effectively contributing to the political discourse in the country. Venaani, while addressing the media and party members at a press conference in Windhoek on Thursday, stated that many journalists are inexperienced and that several media houses do not invest adequately in their journalists. “Journalism is failing the political discourse in the country. Many journalists are very new, and many media houses are neither investing in their journalists nor providing adequate pay or resources. As a result, many crucial political issues are not being covered,” he stated. 

Venaani said he speaks from informed experience. 

He made reference to the parliamentary report, stating that one hardly finds journalists sitting in those meetings, claiming that most prefer to follow these proceedings from home. “No issues are being covered; political issues are not covered. Now and then, when you open a newspaper, is when you see a sensational story of some sort,” he charged. 

He said journalists no longer write themselves, as they now “depend on artificial intelligence (AI) to pen their articles”. Venaani said journalists sometimes misquote them and take statements out of context. 

He added that they will engage with the editors of media outlets to promote fair and accurate coverage. Additionally, the leader of PDM expressed that their rallies received minimal coverage during the regional councils and local authority elections, urging the government to raise awareness and provide financial support to media organisations so they can effectively perform their duties. Meanwhile, Venaani highlighted his party’s performance during the last elections, emphasising that PDM has shown “political staying power” by maintaining its stronghold and gaining another constituency. He stated that the party has achieved stability, enabling it to rebuild, redirect and expand the movement while also addressing internal and external organisations aimed at strengthening the party’s national branches and training its local and regional councillors. 

Coalitions 

Venaani cautioned his fellow members of opposition parties to proceed carefully and prevent the ruling Swapo party from regaining a two-thirds majority. 

He advocated for a coalition government that would involve collaboration with ratepayers’ associations nationwide. 

Venaani also underscored the importance of his party forming meaningful coalitions with other opposition parties. 

He said opposition politicians need to start meeting to discuss the course of national politics. 

“We need to look at partnership politics. It is important for political parties to sit together – those that are like-minded – and form new coalitions because, if we don’t do this, we are going to lose ground,” said Venaani. 

“There is a dangerous trend happening in the country. All the opposition parties must start reflecting on it,” he urged. 

“There is a trend that we, as opposition parties, managed to bring down the Swapo party to 51% nationally, and now they are back to 58%. Be careful that Swapo could be back to high numbers, and it will be very difficult to stop them,” he said. 

He added that “Many political parties, including ours, have played the role of ignoring ratepayer associations. We don’t take them seriously, and we compete in the same space. But they are now in the leading position in some municipalities, so, as leaders, we must also find time as long as we can agree on those issues that can make the country go forward”. 

Performance 

Venaani then looked inwardly, labelling PDM’s performance in last year’s elections as “not the best, but it was satisfactory”. 

Among the key indicators was winning the Okakarara constituency and retaining its dominance in Kunene with victories in Opuwo Urban, Opuwo Rural and Epupa constituencies. 

“We used to run Okakarara from 1990 to 2003. Then we lost it for a period of 12 years. Now we have regained our strongholds with big numbers. The ruling party thought that by having the governor (Vipuakuje Muharukua), who used to be from us, they were going to get the numbers,” he said. 

– akaure@nepc.com.na 

-Nampa