President Hage Geingob has registered his concern with what he labelled as negative media reporting. 

The president took issue with the recent avalanche of bad news during the opening of Cabinet for 2023.

“Is it the same Namibia that I am living in? Then it is bad, you will think. It [reports] as if nothing positive is taking place in Namibia. Nothing positive?” he asked. 

It is a fact. 

There has been quite a deluge of negative news for some time. Regular news of longstanding issues such as unemployment, crime, the rising cost of living and a crumbling public service has been exacerbated in recent weeks by terrible matriculation results, flooding, and a public procurement process that just doesn’t seem to be able to get the best for the public and is still in the clutches of tenderpreneurs, who do nothing to add value. 

There’s been the recurring challenge of a lack of classroom space at the beginning of every year. The government just doesn’t seem to be able to solve this challenge year in and year out. 

In recent weeks, northern Namibia has been inundated with flash floods. Another recurring crisis. Schools had to close, and people have been displaced and lost property. 

So far, four people have died. 

While there are also many positive things happening in and around Namibia, the president is correct, newspaper headlines are depressing. 

However, the media doesn’t create the news. We report on it.  

The media holds the mirror up to society. If society doesn’t like what it sees, does it blame the holder of the mirror? 

News is about the unexpected. The unusual. 

As people expect their government to work for them, make their lives better and “do good things”, when something positive happens, or government delivers on a promise, it is not necessarily news. 

But as positive things are few and far between, the government achieving something positive or delivering on their promises is certainly news. 

New Era, as part of its mandate to inform and educate, regularly publishes good news stories. 

The government has an opportunity to get more of this publicity. 

However, the government could start by building more schools or at least know when, where and how many schools/classrooms are needed. 

Better annual flash flood planning is also necessary, or implementing a plan of how to productively use all that free water. An effective public procurement system that gets the public a fair price and does not unfairly enrich a few undeserving people would stop a lot of negative stories. 

What the media have been asking for years is for the President to hold his executive accountable. More of this would lead to more ministers doing more to deliver for the people, taking their jobs more seriously, and doing more to inform the public about their successes. 

There is a need to do more and talk less. 

Blaming the media for reflecting on what is happening is unproductive.