Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro
In anticipation of the forthcoming National Assembly and Presidential Elections this November, there has been a cry about the lack of manifestos by most of the political parties, and/or the late production thereof.
Yours Truly Ideologically instead has been thinking this has been much ado about nothing. Because election after election political parties have been coming forth with manifestos. Most of which, for all intents and purposes, have remained unfulfilled for those that has never had the opportunity to implement them because of failing to grab the reigns of governance.
For those which has been in governance all these years, 34 years in total, it remains to be seen to what extent their manifestos has been implemented, let alone to what extent they have been consistent throughout despite for the minor necessary changes which may have been dictated by the changing times and the changing material conditions whose socio-economic wellbeing they are intended to transform.
As soon as assuming the reigns of governance, or is it rather the reigns of ruling, for better or worse the manifestos have been shelved and relegated to the shelves of the political parties, for those with offices and shelves to speak of, where they have been gathering dust, one election after another.
Not only this but rarely has the electorate from one election to another been seeming to hold be it the Swapo Party of Namibia, accountable to its own manifesto. Begging the question why put premium on any election manifesto at all. Except satisfying the egos of those who have been and continues to pressurise the political parties to come forth with the manifestos.
For whom for that matter such manifestos have been of no consequence whatsoever than political expediency if not empty promises, some which at best have been no more than over exaggerations bordering on political fantasies.
For the electorate, the overwhelming majority because of the high level of illiteracy, Yours Truly Ideologically, as indeed any other bon fide citizen should, cannot but wonders if they are and have been familiar with the content of these manifestos and the empty promises at best that most contain.
Yet ironically there seems to have been this infatuation and fixation with political manifestos as if they are the alpha and omega of any given election. Not to mention what and how much to make of such manifestos in terms of the seeming divergent views of different political parties’ principals, leaders, architects thereof and adherents and supporters.
“Investors must invest on our terms,” screamed a headline recently in a local English daily, reflecting the Swapo Party’s Secretary General’s position on investments. One cannot wait to see and hear if the Swapo Party’s political and/or election manifesto is to duly reflect what seems to be but only the Swapo Party’s SG’s views and position on investments.
Except that it may be worth the paper written on as may be the case with those of many other political parties and/or formations. Because to say the least, the Swapo Party’s position on the country’s natural resources has been at best varied and divergent. With some of its political principals of the opinion that there’s little and/or not much the country can do regarding her natural resources in the face of her presumed lack of financial wherewithal to tap on these resources, with the investors given a free hand in this regard in the name of the law.
Notwithstanding that the country’s natural resources, the very ones many a would-be exploiters are falling over one another for a scramble, are and cannot be a a relevant and sufficient equity to come to the invetsm,ent table with.
In terms of the said law, whatever law this may be, the country has been made to believe her natural resources no longer belong to Namibia. But legally to the investors. With the country reduced and relegated to only relying on other means of beneficiation, which themselves are and have been ambivalent, if non-existence.
Toying with such fanciful jargons like local content and what-have-you to appease the country that she can expect something from her natural resources while in essence it is and has been business as usual with investors siphoning off her natural resources for their export in raw form to their metropoles.
The Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) is among the first, if not the first political party, to launch its election manifesto. Something that it seems to pride itself in. Speaking, amongst others, a plot for each person. One cannot but wonder if such is a good thing why the Swapo Party for the 34 years that it has been at the helm of this country’s political affair, except her economic affairs, has not been able to afford each of the country’s citizens a plot as the PDM is making the country believe it would do?
Promises but empty promises, letting Yours Truly Ideologically’s to continue to be profoundly doubtful in the essence of political manifestos.
A plot is only but one of the many things that many a Namibian crave for and expect any government would provide. A government that does not only stop by the political manifesto before and during the elections but being consequent in its delivery as per its political manifesto all the way from one election to the other and in between. Despite grandiose political manifestos from one election to the other, needless to say, voters are hardly finding reasons to vote.
Hence the voter apathy which has been characteristic of Namibian elections of recent. With few if any of the political parties offering voters any credible alternatives except what has now become their trademark electioneering mumbo jumbos. Devoid of any believe in whatever they have been telling the voters let alone any ideological content.
One or two political parties have this far launched their manifestos. Their reception by the very political analysts who have been the ones all along to demand them, have been, to say the least, scathing. Characterised by the empty promises which have been the hallmark of most of the manifestos. Revealing little ideological differences among what essentially should be ideologically diametrically opposed political parties.
With little ideological paradigm shift and continuing within the capitalist paradigm. Mark my word most political parties shall following suit with their manifestos within this ideological paradigm of capitalism. Given this what choice does the vote really has. Choosing between what political party can perfect capitalism and the continued exploitation of the workers?
