Opinion – The paradox of independence

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Opinion –  The paradox of independence

Many Namibians are coming to terms with the current situation of economic hurdles and the high rate of unemployment. Resources are hard to come by and many people find it difficult to eke a decent living after 33 years of independence. 

In situations like these, people should be consoled by the Sifwe old saying that, mazyubva kaalyi kambvami meaning days cannot be the same because better times are bound to come. Rome was not built in a day, and neither was Windhoek and other big towns. 

Although there have been some challenges, the country made some strides in some sectors of the economy. But what is surprising is that after many years, the dependence on South Africa is not weaning as high-ranking politicians still travel to South Africa for medical treatment. With the enormous yearly budgetary allocations to the Ministry of Health and Social Services, surely the government can construct a state-of-the-art hospital. 

It is not the head of State alone, but many political leaders across sub-Sahara Africa have been making their medical Mecca to South Africa. 

Of course, there is nothing wrong with these dignitaries being rushed to South Africa for medical treatment, but after so many years of nationhood, these governments could have constructed decent hospitals. 

Politicians are likely to come up with lame excuses for failing to construct such structures because of colonialism, neo-colonialism and exploitation by the Western powers. These forces have indeed been there, but the Asians have circumvented these forces and moved ahead. Rwanda, after the genocide in 1994 has also braved the African economic impasse and moved forward with reforms and today boasts of efficient delivery of services. South Africa has been chastised for its apartheid rule, but one would think that while Africans were critical of the racist regime, which they correctly did, the former was bent on developing themselves. 

The immediate evil which is currently facing Namibia is not the same-sex marriage issue as they are not legalised here, but the danger is something stalking the nation elsewhere. One of the main issues the country is currently facing is unity of purpose. It seems the national centre can no longer firmly hold as Chinua Achebe (1958) puts it in his book, ‘Things Fall Apart’. 

The unity which was manifested during the liberation struggle has become an illusion in some quarters of the country and has been the survival of the fittest. 

Lately, some members of Parliament from the opposition parties bemoaned the lack of fairness in recruitment and other job-related appointments. 

The case under discussion in the august house was the recruitment of police trainees, in whose case the allegation was that there were many recruits from the bigger ethnic groups than from other regions. 

Surprisingly, some of them even went a step further by advocating for a federation, which is a violation of the constitutional provision, which the honourable members of Parliament vowed and swore to protect and uphold as per Article 1 (1) which states that, “the Republic of Namibia is hereby established as a sovereign, secular, democratic and unitary State founded upon the principles of democracy, the rule of law and justice for all”. 

But the issue of unequal recruitment and distribution of jobs came a long way even at the dawn of independence, straight from the political appointment office. 

If one looks carefully at the early Cabinet appointments, about 77% of ministers came from one group of people and the remaining 23 from the rest of the country. 

Then followed other key appointments in government, parastatals and private companies from the same group. It seems the newly formed nation just carried on with the colonial inherited system of discrimination in terms of regions and political status. 

The political will to change the status quo to the unification of the nation failed the power that was and continues to do so. According to Lamb (1990), how colonial administrations governed virtually ensured the failure of Africa’s transition into independence. 

Their practice of divide and rule by favouring some ethnic groups to the exclusion of others served to accentuate the ethnic divisiveness that had pulled Africa in different directions for centuries. 

Before independence, the colonial master was the common enemy, but the tide turned other ways at the attainment of nationhood as the major tribal groups in each country had to confront one another for political leadership roles and other largesse. 

In many parts of Africa where tribal loyalty usually surpasses any allegiance to the nation, the new antagonist became the fellow African. In terms of developmental agendas and priorities, again the regions were not accorded equal status, as some areas are more developed than others. 

When some traditional leaders are bemoaning the lack of political will to develop their areas, it is a sign that indeed the government did very little to advance such development. It is in such circumstances that some people would advocate for federation instead of nationalism to preserve their interests which are culture, land security, norms and values, enjoyed all the centuries. But these interests are usually enshrined in the constitution, which some lawmakers deliberately violate. It is, therefore, incumbent upon all stakeholders to embrace the unwritten policy of national reconciliation which should induce equality, tolerance and nation-building. 

This will also depend on the able leadership of the politicians and their will to deliver services to the nation.