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Reply With QuoteStill looking at it from all angles. Reply to follow.
Senior Member
Prognostication about RDP power base Perhaps, for the moment it all depend on tactical planning on the side of the leadership. In spite of its ability, these are reputable ex-members of SWAPO's "think tanks", things it could turn quiet muggy.
Evidently, RDP is not only up the high road for other than the lucrative northern, regions' constituencies, but also up against a seasoned nemisis. SWAPO is well entrenched both locally where it is certain to play its "ethnic card" as well as regionally, were it is reputed for its frivolous spending.
Contrary to conventional wisdom, SWAPO and Namibia congruents.
In its strong arsenal, one tool has since the very beginning served SWAPO exceptionally well. And this is its virulent rhetorica propaganda, in conjunction with the timeless cultural tradition. Thanks for opting out of earliest colonial conflicts, the cultural traditions unlike that of the people in the southern regions, remains intact.
Through exploitation of the international community's ignorance, that has been caused by the vicious Apartheid system, in tandem with the rhetorical propaganda, SWAPO exclusively reaped all there was for the Namibian people: "United Nations "sole and authentic" recognition and whatever had come with it.
In the early 1970's Namibia's most able minds- students and teachers, etc. from the colonial institutes of higher education, had in the absence of a responsible political socialization tool in the traditional set-up, resorted to SWAPO's nationalistic rhetorics. Consequently, an unparralleled, cultural diversed brain drain that took place. The Lubango's dungeon report is a vivd testimony to this episode.
This is what RDP will definitely face. A vehemently astute political machine of international calibre. Upon ascenssion to national political level, SWAPO left no "stone unturned." While maintaining the status of an emerging third world democratic process's facade, it actually perfected its quasi- socialist system of "patronage-and-cronism." Pariachs- Cuba, North Korea, China continue to exploit the people, at the administration's behest.
All in the name of democracy. Actually a dubious "proportional representational" version. That perpetrates "wholesale maginalization" which is equivalent to the denial of universal suffrage. In this particular scenario, the democratic majority tenet is deliberately confused with ethnic majority, who inhabits a given political constituency (ies). Thus, denial of local autonomies to regions out side of those of the ethnic majority's, amounts to a gross human rights violation.
Invariably, SWAPO's power consolidation has done to the nation, what fascist regimes elsewhere had accomplished. The removal of the system of transparency and accountability, undue enrichment of a few, while empoverishing the majority, creation of traditional, hierarchical power vacuum, etc.
Belatedly, an emerging political opposition against a de facto totalitarian rule, will be warm heartedly welcomed. Even if it is just a hick-up.
Perserverance at this time, against a barrage of attacks is all that is needed. For a definite political security is a rare phenomenon in our modern era. The democratic and the rule of law will prevail. And the people will speak through the ballots.
On the darker side, RDP just as its predecesors will have to face virtual insummountable obstacles: a lack of a clear dichotomy between educated judgement and adherence to parochial mystics; inherent apathy toward "issue-oriented" procelytization; the incumbent's desire to hung-on to power indefinitely and the subsequent inability to distinguish national properties from SWAPO's wealth.
The dismantling of power over State Owned enterprises (SOE's), parastatals groups, and the banishment of vigilantes (SPYL) that could other wise turn any one's dreams into an actual nightmare. CoD, DTA, etc. could have done what RDP is envisaging.
On the brighter site, SWAPO is also not the tyrant the region has known. There are more positive aspects about it. A competent infrastructure, a viable economy, political regional system that transcends traditional ethnic orietation, and so forth are already on the ground. Ready to reform. Circumstances will naturally dictate events, and the people will arise above expectations.
The numerous empediments, supra are not all as reculcitrant and visceral as they appear. Others before had to sort through more complex mazes.
The issue of deficient local autonomy within a democratic system has much to do with political socialization and political participation. With a responsible institutes on the ground, this could be reversed. Colonial administrations in the past went farther to deny the people human and civil rights, through arbitrary laws but today, all is now history. In retrospect, the Natives Administrative Act of 1927, the Representation of Natives Act of 1936, the population Registration Act and the Group Areas Act, all attempted to accomplish just this. Yet, today the South African people have eventually repealed and replaced them with meaningful measures.
Senior Member
Re: Prognostication about RDP power base Still looking at it from all angles. Reply to follow.
Senior Member
Re: Prognostication about RDP power base Oneword. Don't look; just count all the multi-syllabics: ergo: pure indoctrinated intellectual who probably, in the finest detail and in Pulitzer-worthy form, describe a booze-up in a brewery - but never in his life organise one.
Senior Member
Re: RDP - the threat from inside? Thanks, your column is insightful. Your approach enlightening and your language mature. Hopefully we will one day in a position more influential to humanity and Namibia, in particulat.
Senior Member
Re: RDP - the threat from inside? A lot of us are learning from you
Senior Member
Re: RDP - the threat from inside? Phelakuti,
I promised you a reply; so, here it is.
1.) You are heavy on the insubstantive, the perceived. I also note a not so quiet antagonism towards everything SWAPO. I can guess why, but I feel it permeates your piece to such an extent that it can no longer be seen as an unbiased, authentic opinion. Pity. To some extent you are, thus, falling into the same trap you accuse others of.
2.) Perhaps because of the coloured perception of the unevitability of a solution of Namibia's problems and your acceptance of the invincibility of the ruling party, you are seeing things only in black and white. Remember, there is one heck of a lot of grey between two absolutes. I would suggest that you give the new party a chance. There are still two years to go before the RDP has to put its credibility on the line and face the electorate. Despite certain accepted anomalies with our voting pattern, it may just be that the people on the actual voters' role for 2009 can distinguish - by now - between what is needed and wanted and what others tell them (the voters) what is wanted and needed. Clear?
3. In defence of the ruling party I must say that the recent congress has proven that they are aware of the fact they, as party, must evolve much further from the roots as a liberation movement with marxist-leninist characteristics to a fully-fledged democratic "peoples'" party (and I mean that in the best sense possible!) where they and their representatives may no longer be the be-all and end-all, but play a major and significant role together with others.
I am of the opinion that it has been fully realised that you can't "teach an old dog new tricks". The transition (call it a paradigm shift, for all I care) towards a younger mindset in inevitable, unstoppable like the wind .... and good.
Last edited by Oneword; 11th December 2007 at 04:04 PM. Reason: corrections - as usual
Senior Member
Re: RDP - the threat from inside? Shebeeners,
Now that I have Phelakuti all happy (?) with an answer, let me come to something I was privy to over the weekend.
You may know that in 1977/78 when the DTA came into being, it was whispered secretly, quietly, loudly that those nasty, racist South Africans had given Dirk Mudge and others the instruction to break away from the very conservative National Party (Mr Koos Pretorius and others of the same convictions and stubbornness) and establish a party which would be much more middle of the road and, perhaps, even acceptable to Swapo.
So said, so done (I was told).
Obviously there are very few people around who could/would confirm this, so I am more than willing to acknowledge that the above may have been nothing more than a vicious rumour spread in those years. I have no factual written proof at all that it happened that way ... or that anthing happened at all.
That is the intro to the following:
According to some pretty knowledgable people in this part of the country, Swapo was well aware that they could not re-invent themselves. Parts of the population would never accept their authority. They would always be seen as a party that led the country to independence, but deviated (widely and deeply) from the straight and narrow more than just a couple of times. Maybe even the 1st of April 1989.
Anyway. Having realised that, the thinkers put on their thinking caps - and whatever you may think of our ruling party, never, ever make the mistake of underestimating them. They do have many, many good thinkers and doers amongst them. The result of all the strategising and thinking? They came up with a fool-proof idea. After all, it had worked well before, why should it not work again: They came with practically the same solution as the South Africans had 30 years ago.
True? I think even the Good Lord Above may be not be able to give us a straight "yea" or "nay".
Feasible? Shakespeare's Hamlet may possibly sum it up best: "There are more things in heaven and earth, Horatio, than are dreamt of in your philosophy."
Interesting? You bet!
Last edited by Oneword; 11th December 2007 at 04:33 PM. Reason: usual
Senior Member
Awards:
SWAPO starting to run scared... Read this: http://www.theshebeen.org/press-rele...-activity.html
On what basis does the governor ban activities of opposition political parties? What gives him the right to arbitrarily do this? It is plain ridiculous, and should be rejected with the contempt it deserves. It does show just how scared SWAPO is running in the region following the very successful rally by the RDP, which incidentally drew more supporters and less schoolchildren than the SWAPO rally addressed by President Pohamba.
Is this sort of behaviour a sign of things to come? Are these the first signs of SWAPO's knee-jerk reactions to a political challenge on the hometurf? If it is - which I persoannyl think it is - we are in for interesting times indeed.
The ban is plain illegal and should be ignored.
Senior Member
Re: SWAPO starting to run scared... Storm in a tea cup, guys! This guy forgot to put his brain in gear when he made that pronouncement! He thought he was going to please the powers that be. Probably sorry right now that he ever opened his mouth!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Senior Member
Awards: Storm in a teacup Good point, Pietro - I suppose "our" governor of the region wants to be seen to be doing something and overreached his hand. But it does reflect a real nervousness on the part of SWAPO's "boots on the ground". Maybe they are not getting good advice from up top how to handle this. Trying to ban political activities certainly does not strengthen SWAPO's democracy credentials. I also think this order is not enforceable, and would be surprised if the Police was called on to do it. That would certainly send a very strong message to the world, namely that SWAPO will not play ball and use all the dirty tricks in the book - and more - to keep political power. I'm not sure they want that. Let's wait and see.
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