Namibia’s 34th Independence celebration on 21 March 2024 was held in Katima Mulilo, the regional capital of the Zambezi region. It was worth celebrating, as the nation just weeks earlier witnessed the swearing-in of a new Head of State, which was constitutional and smooth without jostling for the presidency within the ruling party.
This could not be said in many other countries, where conflict and friction could have ensued in the wake of losing a Head of State.
It was equally a golden opportunity as the new president graced the occasion, which was indeed an event to remember.
Hence, hundreds of thousands of Namibians and neighbouring nationals flocked to the Katima Mulilo Sports Complex.
They came in numbers to see the new Head of State, and to come and quench their thirst and fill their stomachs after so many days of going on empty bellies.
It was good that Katima Mulilo was chosen to host the Independence celebration festivities this time around as a gesture of goodwill and national unity. But reflecting, one sees that the government has
defaulted many times over on its promises of the 1989 manifesto.
The hopes and promises to remedy the hopeless and helpless racialised and inferior education system has almost boomeranged with little fruition. The youth are as hopeless as during the colonial period, and the education system remains more theoretical than vocationalised, leading to a high unemployment rate. It is the lack of basic educational self-reliant skills which has stagnated the capacity of the youth to seek job-related opportunities for themselves, and they are forced to rely on Government, which has been incapable of employing every Jim and Jack. Celebrating Independence in Katima Mulilo amidst the high unemployment rate, corruption, hunger, nepotism and a state of hopelessness among the youth is undoubtedly a complex and contradictory situation. Although Katima Mulilo was befitting to shoulder the Independence load and responsibilities, the national organisers of the event simply turned a blind eye to the scourges of corruption and nepotism in the town. Some employees of the regional council have just embezzled more than N$6 million earmarked for development, but are allowed to carry out their official duties as if nothing has happened.
Yes, there is a court case going on, but legally-speaking, these officials should have stayed out of their offices to restrict them from tampering with evidence.
As one would have seen it coming, audio clips are
circulating spelling that
catering tenders were corruptly awarded and as a result food went missing, and many invited guests came back from the cerebrations hungry.
It is equally incomprehensible to unravel a puzzling situation where one ethnic group is single-handedly running the largest chunk of official affairs in the disguise of nationalism, when the Affirmative Action policy was supposed to be applied.
On one hand, Independence Day typically represents a time for reflection, unity and celebration of national identity and sovereignty.
It’s a moment to honour the struggles and sacrifices made for freedom and self-governance.
But on the other hand, it is painful to note that many fallen heroes have been buried by the system which was supposed to honour them.
Heroes like Maxwell
Kulibabika, Induna Masida, Fredwell Mubu and Induna Saili, among others, sacrificed their lives, but cannot be traced in the annals of the liberation struggle.
Bamboozling though is the point that for 34 years of this Independence around, no one has been seen fit in the Sibbinda-Makanga-Masida-Kongola-Kalubi-Sesheke-Sikaunga-Singalamwwe corridor to ascend even the position of deputy minister, despite their enormous sacrifices during the liberation struggle.
However, when juxtaposed with issues like corruption,
hunger, hopelessness and nepotism, the celebrations may take on a different tone and
become irrelevant to the expectations of the people. Corruption undermines the very ideals of independence by eroding trust in government institutions, diverting resources meant for development and exacerbating inequality, and may lead to disillusionment among the populace.
Similarly, hunger, which emanates from high unemployment rates among the youth, reflects systemic failures in governance, economic policy and social safety nets, indicating that the promise of independence has not been fully realised for all citizens.
For all years of Independence in many quarters, government has defaulted by failing to put bread
on the tables of many young people.
In the Zambezi region, as in many parts of the country, these challenges may cast a shadow
over Independence Day
festivities, if not nipped in the
bud. Citizens may feel a mix of pride in their nation’s achievements alongside frustration and disillusionment with the persisting problems, which Government can tackle through political will. In all probabilities, some daring citizens may use the occasion to call for accountability, transparency and action for Government to address corruption and alleviate hunger.
Others may emphasise the running out of resilience and solidarity of communities in the face of adversity if Government fails to address their plight.
Ultimately, celebrating Independence Day in such circumstances can serve as a reminder of the work yet to be done to fulfill the aspirations of freedom, justice and prosperity for all citizens.
Failure to do so might force the citizens to be nostalgic and think that things were better before Independence, as Orwell remarks in Animal Farm at the peak of animal rule that, “looking from pig to man and from man to pig, there was no difference.”
*Professor Makala Lilemba is an academician, author, diplomat, motivational leader, researcher and scholar.