David Fono Shoombe
Andrew Heywood (2007) defined politics as the game of power and exercise of authority to make collective decisions. He further states that politics is the practice of deception and manipulation. Various commentators have defined politics as the dirty game for the losers and the means to an end for the winners. It is irrefutable – that is through the practice of politics is where citizens elect their representatives, build institutions and drive the domestic policies implementation.
Looking at Namibia, one can see the emerging generation of young people from all directions in the national discourse. The youth in Namibia are politically fragmented based on different ideologies, though having a hope to present their voice to share commonalities of suffering, sidelined and unable to enter the economic mainstream. This opinionated paper seeks to trace and present the attempt to narrate the incorporation of the youth agenda into the national politics of Namibia. Beforehand, one could see that generational conflict is inevitable throughout history, especially when it comes to the development of new ways of thinking from the young mind against the wisdom of the old generation. In this regard, the notion of a young person being the leader of tomorrow has been denounced, rephrased and withdrawn from the national, regional and continental debates by the African youth. This is done so because the youth realised that age has been used as a limiting factor for youth in excelling in political leadership, institutional management and global engagement. The fantasised, symbolised and crafted notion of grooming a young mind by an elder has brought a contradictory expression because of the way that elder has been when he/she was in that same age group. Historical evidence indicates that the fight against South African Apartheid rule between 1959 and 1989 was fought by the Namibian youth from all corners of the country. They engaged in political mobilisation, diplomatic dialogues and military engagement against then the common enemy. In that sense, the young people of that time who were railway workers, farm workers and mine workers realised that the situation in the country was not acceptable for that reason; there was a need for a generational task to unite all the oppressed and resist by all means. In the course of the realisation of a generational task, there was no difference in colour, ethnicity, creed or economic background but the common course. The yesteryear youth are the elders of today who hold key government and private positions. One may ask whether they understand the youth agenda of today and if the youth explanation is enough to convince the political actors of today that the key issue in the minds of youth is stability through economic emancipation?
Youth agenda in the changing political climate
Since independence, the political environment has evolved from traditional politics to politics that is in line with international standards. However, the resistance of youth and generational conflicts has continued post-independence.
Among all, the youth agenda became an evolving factor. The difference in youth ideologies and political programmes are some of the reasons for the formation of the Congress of Democrats in 1999 as the political departure of some Swapo cadres. The trend has further extended to the formations of RDP, APP, LPM, AR and IPC.
Although all these political parties and organisations were formed in different political temperatures, there is a common element of youth factor and generational conflicts between the old guards and new political rivals. What is fascinating is that there is an increase in the age gap between the political leaders in the mother party and new rivals. This is a direct indication that age is the factor in youth politics and the sense of sidelining of youth views. When the youth are accosted within any political formation with their intelligentsia, they might become ungovernable and can impact progress because they feel excluded from the high table.
Competition of ideas In the past 10 years, the Namibian political scene has become a battle for youth recognition and emerging ideas that support the youth movement in the region and at the continental level. The mind of the South African youth and their political consciousness has contributed to the narration and expression of Namibian student politics through the #FeesMustFall movement and the need for the decolonisation of academic institutions and colonial laws. The first generation in the public sector has responded and viewed the youth as having lost directions and an uncalled-for generation. The question to be asked is whether there is a crime in the competition of ideologies and thinking in terms of governance, policy and development at large. The aspect of youth agenda has been coming in and out in the political scene, championed by mostly intellectuals and activists from outside and within political formations in Namibia. In the comparison of the manifestos of political parties in Namibia from the 2014 general elections, there was an element of youth inclusion and pragmatic economic development, which brought hope to the nation. In the assessment of the 2019 general elections, one will then be able to see the shift of power base in the mind of youth that was motivated by high unemployment, insufficient housing and inequality in the economic distribution.
Youth and the road to 2024
To the followers of national politics, it is undeniable that Namibian domestic politics, more than ever is facing a different national terrain on the way to the 2024 General elections. Surviving this terrain requires a different tactical approach, a different mindset and a thick skin that will enable the national political actors to excel.
It is predictable that experienced politicians will have to prioritise their political survival before looking at the policy issues. Although the rules of the political game will not change, one should ask the leaders of all youth political wings, youth organisations and institutions if they have a common youth agenda that they will influence and make them part of their political formations.
In the recently completed Swapo Party congress, the re-elected youth secretary Efraim Nekongo indicated that elders shall not bring the youth into their battles, which I think is a complex and pivotal point. This statement holds water, and I hope it will not just serve as a political statement but something that should be said by every youth leader in any political formation.
The statement should be pragmatically applied. In the same congress, one would also sense the external force that is pulling and pushing the youth delegates to strategise and prepare the seat for the new sheriff in the party. In the art of politics, the political actors sense, read the situation and use the pressing need to climb to power, which in this case is youth prioritisation must be guarded and a vote of a young person must be earned by character, reputation and trust.
In the final analysis, the young generations in Namibia are faced with uncountable challenges that cannot be solved in a blink of an eye. However, the political actors from all political formations present themselves as the messiah of the Namibian youth, which is not entirely true.
Although you cannot see what is in the mind of the next person, you will be able to use the existing data and examples to adjust your views and look at how you can navigate within the changing political environment. It is high time that all the young leaders from all institutions, regardless of their political beliefs, talk and drive common youth programmes that address existing and foreseeable challenges. Youth challenges can be anticipated and spoken about but the real solution to them is unity among the youth.