Following the democratic outcomes of the November 2020 regional and local government elections, the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), the National Unity Democratic Organisation (NUDO), and the Affirmative Repositioning (AR) movement came to power in the Windhoek Municipal Council through a rather hastily arranged coalition, consisting of highly disgruntled political forces, whose only real aim was to unseat the anti-colonial liberation movement (Swapo Party) from controlling municipal power in Windhoek at all costs.
Beyond that, and despite the fervour and the high expectations, there has been no real concrete plan of action emanating from the coalition to transform Windhoek, apart from switching on Christmas lights in Katutura, a few insignificant symbolic gestures here and there, and mischievously cutting off the municipal services to several state department agencies to the great amusement of their supporters and onlookers alike.
Though the fired up coalition was ushered into office with an aura of high expectations, especially among Windhoek’s most disadvantaged communities, and although the initially ambitious coalition was dubbed as the “progressive forces” by its most loudest advocates, to date, there has yet to be anything really progressive to show for it and all the high expectations of Windhoek’s masses have been quickly disappearing into a smog of thin air.
It appears that the people were certainly fooled into believing that manna from the heavens will start falling onto the desperate and hungry streets of Windhoek through the sweet-talking coalition’s leadership prowess.
To the contrary, of late, the City of Windhoek’s Municipal Council has been turned into an ugly arena of infightings and egoistic rivalries and praise-seeking decision-making, based on self-serving status preservation.
The inexperience and perhaps to a greater extent the immaturity of the young outspoken doctor at the helm, especially in handling disputes and other affairs among people from different backgrounds and dispensations, has been obvious from day one – and so far, the fragile coalition has been unable to live up to its electoral promises and has resorted to blaming the Swapo Party of “Swapotage”.
During these crisis-ridden times, “Covidtage” would have honestly been a more believable justification for the obviously shaken and shell shocked coalition in the face of mounting challenges and failures.
It was always easy to criticise and point out the shortcomings of others when they (in the coalition) were not the ones occupying the hot seats.
The heat pressure or temperature underneath the seats of leadership is now certainly increasing as Windhoek’s landless and jobless citizens continue to rightfully demand for better services and more economic opportunities (from political representatives who have promised them instantaneous change).
It remains to be seen if the unorthodox coalition will eventually prove its critics wrong or if it will go down in history as yet another example of a feeble attempt to stop the Swapo Party on its long march to delivering economic freedom to the Namibian people like it did decisively so with regard to political freedom.
*Abednego Katuushii Ekandjo writes in a private capacity.