NAMIBIA is not only one of two African countries in the world that have been rated among the top ten countries in the world to visit next year, but now comfortably sits in second position of this log.
Comfortably now if the rest of Namibia, and all and sundry in their respective fields of endeavour, occupation and engagement could and shall strive at maintaining such an achievement. And the only way of sustaining such is by individually and severally emulating such endeavours at excellence as the Namibian tourism industry seems to have done.
Certainly what it has earned is by no means a fluke coming from the world renowned Lonely Planet, nor an easy feat and certainly those responsible for ensuring such a prestigious accolade deserve a big pat on the back.
Of all people our political breeds and hybrids are something they must be prepared to learn from before they stumble and fall over one another to claim credit for, if not abrogating altogether such an achievement to self. Of course one is well aware who is and may be squarely behind such an achievement.
Without any hesitation the Ministry of Environment and Tourism, especially under the able and capable auspices then of Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, now our Foreign Minister. Much of Nandi-Ndaitwah’s finesse in this regard seems equally to have rubbed off on current Tourism Minister, Uahekua Herunga, if the hosting last year of the Adventure Travel international indaba on Namibian soil, which turned out to be a huge success, is anything to go by.
Hence Namibia has been on the international map, especially the tourism one. But this could not have been an individual feat but a collective one.
Usually those visitors and tourists come into contact with while in Namibia, are those in the tourism industry, and of course not to overlook general public, and that is why one cannot in view of such an accolade that has befallen the country but also congratulate the Namibian people countrywide.
Not only as hosts to visitors and tourists in Namibia but also for rendering the country a tourism paradise and haven. This is with their peacefulness, hospitability, tranquility and tolerance and patience under at time not so much enviable socio-economic conditions during Namibia’s 24 years of freedom and independence.
If only such has been complimented by similar achievements by all and sundry, especially by our foremost and leading citizens. Recently joining the tourism industry in making our country equally proud, is the Namibia Football Association (NFA) for hosting the just-ended Confederation of African Football (CAF) 9th Women’s Soccer Championships, that has similarly been applauded.
The two achievements cannot but be considered milestones but most importantly benchmarks and foundations on which Namibia can and should build on, and proceed from strength to strength, all things being equal.
Meaning everyone bringing her/his equal due in whatever endeavour she/he may be engaged in and with. Particularly our stateswomen and statesmen, who somehow need to shape up starting from the higher echelons of our political edifice, this being the two lawmaking chambers, to Cabinet and the Judiciary, and onto other spheres.
All different facets of our socio-economic milieu, including our cultural-traditional structures, whose contribution to own communities have at best seem self-serving and egoistic, if not marginal and negligible.
As we are going to the polls, some of the candidates of the political parties seem to be shunning out on their lists, let alone the content of their political manifestos – one cannot but wonder whither to the Land of the Brave?
And if the foundations that others in various fields, who have equipped self well to their patriotic calling unlike many of us, are not be undone by others such as those who have been priding self as political animals, an euphemism for plunderers of national resources and spoilers of the good gains of independence.
The perpetrators, of the highest order of decadence while at the same pretending to be good and patriotic citizens with the nation and the masses’ best interest at heart. Some of them who in reality seem to have been prevailing over the erosion of the national fabric and its decay in the name of being liberators of the nation. Masterminds of poverty that seem to have become a way of living for the majority of the country’s citizenry.
We cannot just bask in the achievement of others but all of us must also be counted in making the Land of the Brave, a truly Land of the Brave.
As we are going to the polls, one of those may be called upon to bestow and ensure such a sense of pride and achievement upon this land, is the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN). The ECN at this hour, as in fact should be case throughout between one poll and the other, cannot escape or hope to escape the public’s guise and vigilantism.
As much as the ECN seems to and has been scurrying around to oil the electoral machinery to ensure a free and fair process, have been far from reassuring, especially with regard to the electoral voting machines (EVMs).
EVMs seem to continue to be viewed with suspicion, as groundless as such may have been seeming in view of the EVMs having been tested without any hitches during the recent local authority elections in the constituencies of Bukalo and Otjinene.
Not to mention the recently promulgated electoral act which seems to continue to be viewed with nervous suspicion and circumspection by some electoral stakeholders, thus not enlisting little or any confidence at all in the electoral process.
This is all the more the reason ECN cannot just put a premium on its efficacy and competency but that issues surrounding the electoral process need to be treated with the requisite transparency, circumspection and utmost sensitivity. The process must not only be above reproach but must seen to be above reproach.
Because if this process is not conducted with the requisite transparency, accountability, sensibility, sensitivity and collective responsibility, the milestones Namibia may have reached in other spheres, may ultimately obliterate than provide the necessary foundation for a prosperous and progressive constructive future.
Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro