Yours Truly Ideologically: Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro
Yours Truly Ideologically strongly believes that because of the nature of the independence the country gained, the flag independence, the content thereof, which socio-economically, and politico-culturally has since not seen any fundamental transformation.
Therefore, Namibia cannot as yet speak, even the least of the economic empowerment of the masses, while their economic empowerment must have been the essence of the liberation and emancipation struggle.Contrary to what many would like us believe, especially the political elite and aspiring bourgeoisie.
Thus, it has been strange to Yours Truly Ideologically, how those politically running the country, can be hold accountable for a system, whichhas not been designed in the first place to deliver for the masses of the previously economically disadvantaged and deprived. Including those nearly annihilated and banished from the lands. The land that is now in the hands of the propertied classes.
If there is anything the political elite can and should be hold accountable for, is being unrealistic, dishonest and not forthright with the masses. Because of their aspirations to be/join the capitalist class, promising the masses deliverance from the very evil system they were aspiring to, and are now abetting and sustaining, was to say the least political trickery. Not that the masses themselves are without blemish, in the least for their naivety that classes which are not their own, would ever deliver them from abject poverty and neglect. A naivety that has been consistent for 30 years since independence.
The masses naively so, expected better from the elite of the liberation struggle than mere flag independence. They must have been pretty familiar with the system in which they barely survived, mere scavengers, from the crumbs of the colonial political elite, and its corporate accomplices.
The masses, foremost the workers, have continued to be subjected to pauperism, all in the name of “ freedom, solidarity and social justice” in a politically free and independent Namibia. But what use is political freedom without economic emancipation? Futile and meaningless. In fact it does no more than hold the masses to the bondage of capitalism as is evident in today’s capitalist Namibia.
Despite the fact that various socio-economic and cultural-politico local forces partook in the liberation war, with the achievement of independence, it seems not all have been at the helm of the political reins.
Hence the slow, if complete lack of political will, and most important, ideological inspiration towards a radical socio-economic transformation. But most instructive is the fact that the state of affairs having been what they are , there has been little debate in the country regarding the right development trajectory, ideologically, save for the hollow and meaningless use of the words development and so-called developmental state.
Therefore, at this juncture, there is a need for a relook at the country’s development trajectory, in search of one infused with a heavy dose of ideology, charting/espousing a socialist route to development. Because while Namibians have been made to believe theirs is a mixed economy trajectory, such has not been delivering, to say the least.
Whereas for the capitalist-inclined development trajectory, enlarging the cake, economic growth in the parlance of the apologists of capitalism,would presumably translate into a dispensation in which all have a share. Albeit, a less than an equitable share, and by no means an egalitarian one. It seems the proverbial capitalist cake, growth in the jargon of the capitalist economists, the cake has never been seeming to grow , at least for all to have their equitable share.
Meantime the available cake, little as it may have been made out to be, needing growing before being shared by all, has only been for the chosen few to enjoy. With the starving masses told and expected to be patient until the cake grows big enough for all. When this would happen is a million dollar question. But the elite themselves are not allowing this little cake to grow exponentially but are siphoning it off like vultures in “Fishrot” greed and style.
“The number of African economies growing faster than 6 percent fell from 22 in 2010 to nine in 2015. The number with inflation higher than 10 percent has risen from four to ten. Many of Africa’s economies are caught in the rise and fall of commodity prices.
During the boom years they didn’t invest the windfall in new industries. When commodity prices started to fall in 2011, the currencies collapsed, but without strong industries the falling currency did little to boost exports. Instead, the falling currency made it difficult to pay back foreign debts that many of these counties had piled up during the good years,” writes Ruchir Sharma in his book, The Rise And Fall Of Nations highlighting the volatility of the growth pendulum.
This begs the question if growth shall eventually be realised, in the face of global economic challenges, with impact on even developing economies like Namibia’s. And given this global economic reality, if the cake ever shall at one mysterious point grow to ensure equitability and egalitarianism?
Surely this calls for an ideological introspection and surgery to ensure an ideological paradigm shift.
