Elections Reveal Worst-Case Scenario About Tribalism And Race

**Comrade007** · 22nd November 2009, 12:51 PM

An excellent piece by Alfredo Tjiurimo Hengari who is a PhD fellow in political science at the University of Paris- Panthéon Sorbonne, France:

FIFTEEN political parties will contest the forthcoming Presidential and National Assembly elections. Of these fifteen, the overwhelming majority of them can't claim to have a constituency that is broadly a reflection of the diversity of our Republic.

In essence the language used by many of these parties shows that most of them are rooted in tribal grievances and responses to what is perceived to be a culture of exclusion on the part of the ruling party, Swapo. Whether these grievances are real or imagined is a matter for intense debate.

Similarly, whether these are the appropriate responses to what is perceived to be a national problem is also a matter of rigorous debate. I certainly don't think that this is a sufficient response.

Be that as it may, what is evident is that our fourth presidential and National Assembly elections reveal in a manner that is unprecedented the deep fault lines of the politics of ethnicity and race.

An all-encompassing question comes to mind: Why are our politics so tribally and racially polarised almost two decades after Independence? Can we further the republican ideals as they are articulated in the Constitution? I don't believe we can. In that instance, much of the blame will have to be put squarely on the doorstep of Government, in particular the ruling party.

After all, while the ruling party itself has fared well as a broad church of various ethnic groups, it has failed dismally in race relations.

Unlike the ANC in South Africa, how did Swapo fail at its last congress to have whites in its Politburo and worse, the Central Committee?

In fact, South Africa provides interesting transformative lessons about how to deal with both race and ethnicity as political problems.

Should a governing party like Swapo go as far as to rent a white Afrikaner male through the Youth League in order to appeal or to show that it is representative of the Namibian people?

Ordinary citizens are equally guilty of having taken refuge in the politics of the tribal political party.

What this catastrophic situation reveals, which in so many ways reaches a dangerous tipping point with the forthcoming elections, is that the policy of national reconciliation has been a total failure.

It is not only a failure in terms of the politics of the natives themselves, but the overall picture with regard to race relations is equally alarming.

If it had any meaning and substance, we would not be sitting with political parties whose primary impulses are tribal constituencies and in some cases, parties that seek to articulate, "white issues".

The Monitor Action Group (MAG) and the Republican Party come to mind as parties articulating themselves primarily on the basis and preservation of whiteness.

There is a possible panacea to the rise of ethnically oriented political parties. What we lack in Namibia is a broader process of social engagement on the most burning issues.

The rise of ethnic parties and continued existence of racial entrepreneurs are not singular, but they are part of a plethora of issues that we are afraid to discuss openly.

We are not courageous enough to deal and engage with issues that threaten the survival of the republic.

Of course, the current electoral environment will not allow for a debate about this issue.

However, as a political problem, the rise of ethnic and racial political parties ought to be one of the key priorities and challenges of the next government.

A process of national dialogue ought to be initiated and interventions ought to be devised in order curb this phenomenon.

As a case in point, government can start with promoting a culture in which we keep traditional leaders and authorities outside party-political activities.

It is not logical in a Republic that the Chief of the Ovaherero people is the President of a political party, whose constituency is largely tribal.

Can we logically expect the Chief of an ethnic group to appeal to a national constituency? Certainly not! The troubling question is why we allow an anti-republican culture where the overwhelming majority of the political parties contesting elections are primarily rooted in ethnicity and race.

Alfredo Tjiurimo Hengari is a PhD fellow in political science at the University of Paris- Panthéon Sorbonne, France.

**Comrade007** · 22nd November 2009, 01:35 PM

The sad truth about politics in Namibia is that we don't seem to have evolved in our arguments above the lowest common denominator, which I agree with Hengari is race and ethnicity and the claim(s) and stake(s) to political power, and only political power.

The arguments are rarely about substance, about policies and issues. There is simply no cross-party, national debate about the issues facing our young Republic, and how to deal with them. The dynamics are about people's claim to power in its crudest form. Everyone is rubbished, left, right and center and no reasoned, rational debate about where we are heading as a body politic ever really takes place.

I also agree with Hengari that SWAPO had, and continues to have a real responsibility as the dominant political force in the country and governing party. Look how some - and not I say some - senior SWAPO leaders reacted to the creation of the RDP. What is the President's role as unifier of the nation? Listening to him I very often hear very little more than party-political propaganda. It's all about vilification on all sides, about tearing down instead of respectful political coexistence and open, tolerant democratic debate. Look how people react to even modest criticism: There is never, ever even the slightest admission that things may not have been done the right way; no reflection and self-analysis and humbleness. There is denial, stone-walling and intolerance. And this is not exclusive to SWAPO politicians.

We have along, long way to go.

kanamutenya · 23rd November 2009, 09:43 AM

It is so funny that Namibian are so talkative, most the upcoming so called intellectuals and those who are able to be abroad. let me remind you that even Rome was not built in one day, it took time, there is no way that we never compliment to what other have done to our formation of one Namibia One Nation, this a country which had been divided into segregations, and thus it was no an easy tasks to form up a liberation and united one like SWAPO was formed and I think it is the SWAPO the only unifier in Namibia either we like it or not and I can assure you it will take time to for other small and tribal party to compete with SWAPO into real ideology on ONE Namibia One Nation, all other political Parties in this country are either Tribal of formed by the power hungry and not because of issue or ideology.

Blaming and blaming it won't help anything rather give suggestion what DO YOU THINK IS LACKING AND BE BRAVE ENOUGH TO TAKE ACTIVE PARTICIPATION! If we never honor our own people whom do you think will do it for us? as Namibian I can assure you that we are jealous of what other had passively contributed and are trying by all means to vilify if, what a shame.

I can't believe how many so called intellectual are up to built this Nations, rather talk of green Pasture? What politics?

SWAPO and it leadership had done enough and just it need to be enhance and encourage to work more hard and harder, however there is thing that people don't consider, some times you need to be active in order to achieve some thing, people don't just put you there for the sake of putting you because of A or B rather you show that you are truly active and committed, If the majority in this country are Oshiwambo speaking, what ever is done is seen favoritism, some time not true all, is just that a person had work hard, however I am not promoting tribalism rather I want us to look the issue how it will make us proud of what we are without looking from which tribe you are from and of course I agree with some that it is true to be Chief of a certain tribal and you want to be a leader of a Republic it doesn't make sense, either you leave one and concentrate in one is better, however Namibian we still have a long way to go!

**Mie1** · 23rd November 2009, 12:34 PM

The only thing I have againt Hengari is that he seems to be one of the eternal students. He has been outside the country forever. I sometimes wonder if can really be clued up on what is happening inside the country.

Otherwise .... I admire his theoretical insight!