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How Do We gauge Pohamba's presidency?

2006-04-21  Staff Report 2

How Do We gauge Pohamba's presidency?
Kuvee Kangueehi President Hifikepunye Pohamba has spent over a year in Namibia's Highest Office since taking over the mantle from founding president Sam Nujoma. He still has another four years to go if he does not get a second term. However, despite the fact that he has completed 20 percent of his term, not much change is visible in terms of tangibles to alleviate the plight of the poor. The president has been spending a lot of his oxygen on his anti-corruption crusade. He has been using his much needed energies on an issue that has little impact on the livelihoods of the people that have voted him into power. To the ordinary men and women, anti corruption does not mean anything. Maybe it is the middle class who wants to hear but they definitely do not need it. The people need jobs, housing and better health facilities. Thousands of Namibians are on the streets and go hungry not so much because of corruption but because they need jobs. There is a Chinese saying that when you kill a chicken, the money gets scared. The president needs to act on the presidential commission reports that are collecting dust in his office. In fact, the President's anti-corruption drive has taken centre stage while issues such as housing, poverty alleviation, job creation and education have been pushed to the back burner. Taking a closer look, most of the cases reported as corruption cases are classical examples of poor governance. Scandals at state institutions such as the Offshore Development Company (ODC), Namibian Broadcasting Corporation and the Social Security Commission were clear cases of incompetence of those in the driving seats. Why does government entrust its institutions in the hands of incompetent officials? Mr President, the issue that needs attention is good governance and efficiency and not corruption! We applaud you for your zero tolerance towards corruption. But can you tell us how many houses your government will build, how many schools and hospitals? how many jobs will be created during your presidency? Are we on the right track in our long walk towards Vision 2030? Namibia's unemployment rate stands at around 35 percent, the Namibia Housing Enterprise (NHE) has a backlog in building houses and only manages to build 300 houses per year, 2 000 short of what was supposed to be built in the last five years. The education system is in shambles. There is no need for statistics! Proper management and quality are the crux of the matter. Health and land redistribution remain critical topics that need the attention of the Head of State. Mr President, it is not too late and everything is not lost yet. Move on to the next item on the agenda. Call in your ministers; let them give you their targets. Let them tell us how many schools, houses, clinics and roads they intend to build. How they intend to contribute towards Vision 2030. Mr President, show the same enthusiasm and vigour to tangible issues such as job creation. Please concentrate on the bread and butter issues and more tangibles for your presidency to be remembered.
2006-04-21  Staff Report 2

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