Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro
“We will continue to use our best endeavours to ensuring that our minerals and petroleum resources are exploited in the best interest of the country and its people. It is our resolve to be good stewards of our resources.”
This is verse of what seems has become the personal anthem of Mines and Minerals Minister, Tom Alweendo, and his assembled choir and a popular rendition at almost at every choir competition of especially explorers and other mineral and mining vultures, whether on home turf or at one or the other forum.
All meant so much to test the water how much Namibia can bend in cowing to the wholesaling offers of her natural resources with carrots dangled in her face to auction them to the highest bidder.
From the quote above, Yours Truly Ideologically cannot but deduce, for starters, two things. Which those really genuinely concerned about the wholesaling and plunder of their natural resources, cannot and must not miss.
The lack of zealousness of, in the least, stopping the rot of the ongoing scramble by so-called investors, from reaching the same proportion as in the fishing sector ala the Fishrot.
The Minister’s and co “will” instead of shall, continue whatever endeavour is a clear testimony to the lack of zeal and determination in fulfilling his and theirs’ constitutional obligation in terms of the Constitution in preserving, among others, the country’s natural resources.
Secondly, the focus, seems to be on the “exploitation” of the country’s natural resources by others, as it appears, “ensuring that our minerals and petroleum resources are exploited”.
Exploited by who? Because hitherto the exploitation has been and continues to be not by the country herself, or in the least by local explorers and/or investors, but by foreign investors and international multinational corporations.
Which are the very embodiment of capitalism and the continued depletion of the country’s natural resources, going back to the days of colonialism to this day of so-called freedom and independence.
But that has been seeming more one of freedom and independence for the indigenes to continue to hunger amidst abundant natural resources.
Which are only good in not only alleviating the hunger of the metropoles of the explorers, investors and what-have-you, but forever guaranteeing them a life of opulence and decadence, which the leaders of the indigenes have been copycatting their economic exploitation notwithstanding.
Thus, Alweendo’s chorus about ensuring that the country’s resources are “exploited” in the best interest of the country, especially given the seeming and obvious lack of conviction if not confidence with which it seems to be sung, cannot, should not and must not be taken on its face value.
Because in not so many words then meets the eye or one could detect, it is SOS that indeed the country is in for a long haul of continued exploitation of her natural resources by foreigners. While her citizens are expected to settle trickle downs. Which for that matter are by no means commensurate with the vast profits accruing from the investors.
Namibia can and may be excused in the sense that she just emerged from years of colonialism, and thus used to colonial exploitation and subjugation. But she can and may be excused as far as on the part of those in charge of her destiny, especially her economic destiny, and thus the heralding of the path towards the ultimate revolution, which is the economic revolution and thus economic emancipation and thus the Second Revolution, there is some manifestations of resolve. Not the one of acquiescing to the country’s continued exploitation in the name of investment.
What is most disturbing is while those at the forefront of the revolution towards economic emancipation are supposed to be zealous and resolved, their mindsets still seem to be stuck in the capitalist colonial era. Such as that the natural resources must continue to be exploited, obviously by foreigners, believing that for now this is the only way forward,.
But given their seeming colonial mindsets, compounded by their lack of ideology, this for now maybe forever. That is as long such important and crucial endeavours of moving then country beyond the capitalist colonial epoch and mode of production, and even the capitalist neo-colonial epoch, is entrusted and left to some of these capitalists infested minds and mentalities.
Surely other than the status quo, which is purely capitalist, there must be, from the perspective of Namibia, that 34 years ago emerged from over a 100 years of capitalist colonial exploitation, not only a change but a paradigm shift.
Surely such a paradigm cannot, should not and must not be informed by he adaptation lock, stock and barrel, of the very same capitalist system that was rejected and was the reason for the resistance movement, and ultimately the liberation struggle.
If colonial capitalism was and could not have been good then, albeit for some, likewise it cannot, shall not and must not be good now and today or tmorrow, again albeit for some.
Because the Alweendos, Tjiparuros, Isaacks, Dieschos, Fouries and/or Simbayes of today’s Namibia happened to be ministers or whatever they happened to be, cannot, this should not and must no mean that capitalism is now good today or can and shall ever be good for all Namibians even tomorrow.
What this simply means, is that those currently entrusted with bringing in investments, starting with the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) with stewardship over Namibia’s natural resources.
Let alone laying down the terms and conditions for investors. This must be entrusted by the representatives of the people. Meaning not only Members of Parliament, but civil society organisations as well. Because it has been becoming all apparent entities like the NIPDB, and the country’s would be investments hunters are developing a strong interest in the country’s natural resources for what they are worth.
