As Namibians we should congratulate ourselves for the peace and tranquility the country has enjoyed and continues to enjoy. Namibia is such a wonderful land filled with opportunities, yet most of us take for granted our constitutional right to vote when elections come around.
The year 2014 is when every Namibian should exercise their right to vote. You perhaps saw on the front page of the newspaper that there are only six days to go before the voter registration process starts. New Era encourages all who are eligible to vote to participate in the registration process, young and old. We all need to exercise our democratic right so that we do not afterwards cry foul. A government of the people is elected by the people and not by a few individuals.
While many, correctly so, are interested in the economy they tend to forget or disregard the crucial part of political stability that only exists when citizens respect democracy, human rights and the constitution.
The constitution asks each eligible citizen to participate in electing our government and the individuals to represent us as an entire country – in the government, the executive level of the presidency, and parliamentary, regional, local government and constituency levels.
It does not bode well to disregard this very important process but then to complain afterwards of the individuals serving in public office when one did not cast a vote to elect the person deemed fit to hold office. That is almost equal to planting seeds of political instability, deliberately trying to derail the stability and peace that prevail because others duly exercised their democratic right that those who refused to vote ignored.
Alas, not many Namibians, especially young people, look forward to voting with the same passion they possess when looking forward to the beginning of the Premier League football season, athletics meetings or the Olympics.
If you are not happy with the current government, go to the polls and vote for alternative leaders; if the current government is meeting your aspirations then why not vote as a way of saying ‘thank you for taking care of the people of this country’.
The fact that the country’s governance machinery is well oiled is perhaps one of the many factors that lead to complacency amongst the public and the voting apathy that reigns supreme among young people. Not knowing that political situations do change abruptly, especially if the embers of democracy are not kept alive through the necessary democratic process such as elections. It is the very root whose shoots maintain the balance-and-check processes that keep a government in touch with the electorate – the public. Indeed, it must be a privilege for every citizen over 18 years of age to carry out such a civic duty that is open to every Namibian, something any eligible citizen should look forward to every five years. It is something we have been doing peacefully for the last 20-something years, a chance that some countries so yearn to experience. We must not take it for granted, while there are so many other countries whose citizens wish they have what we do.
After all, let us ask ourselves: What is the point of having a democratic state if we, the people, are not willing to participate in construction and maintenance of that very democratic state that we so cherish? Is it best, then, that we change into an autocratic state? Certainly not!
Just like sport lovers look forward to global sporting events such as the football, cricket and rugby world cups and Olympics, may we too demonstrate the very same passion for our periodic elections.
New Era is hereby making a promise that this year we will go out of our way to bring you news from all political parties that will participate in the elections. We will ask them to articulate their agenda and policies so that we inform our readers for them to be able to go to the polls as informed voters. We know not many political parties will be forthcoming but we will rededicate ourselves to bring out as much information about political parties as possible. After all, our job is to inform the nation, and that we shall do without fail.
By The Editor