Simply the news headlines surrounding the impulsive and trigger happy reactions of the government concerning European Union mission to Namibia’s entertainment of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), actually its leader singularly, as it transpired.
“Netumbo slams ‘regime change’ agenda after IPC meets with European Diplomats,’ splashed one of the local dailies. Regurgitating the near-to hysterical diatribe by the Swapo Vice President, hashed evidently negligently, arrogantly and without any decorum, political and/or diplomatic, by and from the party’s central committee. To say the least the actions and reactions by both the government and Swapo Party leaders, upon which the media had a field day with, are preposterous and a bad omen of an extremely intolerant political environment not consonant the accolade of a model democratic and tolerant political system the African continent has ever seen. A precursor to a self-inflicted political hara-kiri at best.
Because neither the government, the Swapo Party leadership and the media had any reliable and trustworthy information and/or intelligence about the gist of the meeting of the EU diplomats with the IPC leader. Despite lack of critical information regarding the said meeting as it seems, all jumping prematurely to conclusions and even telling all and sundry that the meeting was a violation of diplomatic protocols. Creating the false impression that such a meeting should not have taken place and/or that the EU diplomats cannot and should not entertain anyone else, least and worst opposition political parties, except the annointed darling one, while in Namibia other than the government only.
One cannot but wonder what would have been the reaction if such a meeting was between the EU and the Swapo Party. Needless to say that the doors of many diplomats in Namibia surely indeed are and have been wide open to the Swapo Party. Supposedly this is in order as the Swapo Party would not harbour and entertain any “regime change” ideas, the unfounded fear of the government and/or the Swapo Party.
One needs not to be intensely familiar with diplomatic protocols, let alone the Vienna Convention, to know what is and could be the functions of diplomats posted to any foreign country, least that of the EU delegation in Windhoek. It goes without saying to be the ears and eyes of their respective nations, collectively and severally. In duly and dutifully carrying out this function, which is basically observing what is transpiring in their host countries, entailing, among others, monitoring their performance in terms of upholding human rights and democratic values like good governance, including their economic performance, particularly as proxies of Capitalism.
This is stating the most obvious that cannot and should not irk any State, government’ and/or ruling party’s apparatchiks as the meeting with Itula and the EU mission seems to have shaken such out of their laager.
Because gathering intelligence is at the core of any diplomatic mission. What eventually the posting country uses such information for is anyone’s guess. But Yours Truly Ideologically’s guess’ is as good as any. For Instances so engaged are not only our conventional diplomats. In Namibia today there are many organisations, governmental and non-governmental, engaged in many endeavours. It may transpire not necessarily for the good of Namibia at the end of the day but for own personal agendas and interest.
Yours Truly Ideologically cannot but wonder to what extent the Namibian government is aware of the various activities of such foreign entities operative and active in Namibia, and to what extent they are and may intrinsically and genuinely be doing what they are and been doing in the country in the best interest of Namibia? Stately, and subsequently and incidentally for the Namibian people, particularly the exploited. Surely the general assumption is and has been they are partners in development.
Forgetting that some of them are front for their governments with interest of their own peoples first and foremost. Usually with the interest of the people of the hosting nation/country last if ever it matters. In Namibia, for instance, we have the Deutsche Gesellschaft fur Internationale Zusammearbeit, in short the GIZ. The GIZ, among others, is apparently committed to “a modern, diversified and sustainable agriculture.” Does one really need to read more in this? There’s no way one can speak of agriculture in Namibia without talking about land. And talking about land most of the arable land in Namibia is till today still in the hands of Germans, local or foreign.
Yet, it is the GIZ that it is and has been on the forefront and centre of land reform in the country. Can one really expect any fundamental land reform in this regard? If the so-called new resettlement criteria, are anything to go by. Which has all the hallmarks of mechinisations by those continuing with land theft and foreign land ownership entrenchment, which the GIZ cannot exonerate itself from.
This detour was necessary to put matters in their proper ideological context. Rather than focusing on the mundane like who is meeting who where and when among diplomats posted to Windhoek. While the resources of the county are continuing to be pillaged by instances who are presumably partners in development. A pillaging continuing under the vigilant watch of the government of the day, which is a Swapo government. Only for its leaders to wake up from their usual slumber, induced by stuffed stomachs from the crumbs falling from the tables of the pillagers, to start politically victimizing and targeting, blindly and aimlessly, fellow citizens and patriots going about their civic duties, political or otherwise.
With such wanton political acts and smear campaigns, the Swapo Party VP is not showing and providing real leadership. Having been in the portfolio of Foreign Relations, and presumably a seasoned politician that she may be and a veteran that she is, one would expect much, much better from Madam Ndaitwah. As Swapo VP, eventually probably Swapo President, its Presidential candidate in the upcoming Presidential and National Assembly elections, and perhaps the country’s President, she needs to exhibit better leadership quality from what she is currently showing. Because what she has been able to give so far is just not inspiring and motivating, even for starter in the least. Yours Truly Ideologically just hope this is not a foretaste of what is in store for this country under her probable leadership!
“This is part of our general engagement with relevant actors in Namibia, as is normal for all diplomatic missions to perform,” is the response of the EU delegation. Finish and klaar! What the country got from the Namibian government, Vice President, International Relations Minister and Swapo Vice President, and even some political analysts was a false alarm!!!
