Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro
As the ancient and recycled reunite and meet the not-so-very-old as well as complete freshmen and women in the National Assembly, Yours Truly Ideologically cannot but muse about this mixed bag the 8th Parliament of the Republic of Namibia is.
As well as wondering what the input and output of this eclectic mix will be, for most, a political potpourri can and/or shall be Because ideologically the august house cannot be said to be so august, besides for the ideological grandstanding a few of the newcomers may put up. Other than that, little can be said about the ideological credentials and/or convictions of most of the members of the new but not-so-new parliament.
Likewise, as much as there are those from the 7th parliament brought over to the 8th parliament, few of them can be said to be ideologically inclined to, let alone provide the necessary momentum forward towards a beginning for change. Change in terms of starting to realise the ideals of the Second Phase of the Namibian Revolution.
Yours Truly Ideologically, hopes, and a hope against not hoping only, the addition of an ideologically inclined and convinced new breed. Rather than this new breed being swallowed and consumed, if altogether not being detracted, distracted and derailed and retrogressed by cooption into the parley club. Which has historically been an extension of Namibia’s ruling Swapo Party. A reality that, to a greater extent, has been responsible for the lack of progress in laying the necessary foundation for breaking the current impasse towards change. Thereby aiding and abetting an entrenchment of the status quo.
As undesirable and retrogressive as the capitalist status quo has been. Fraught with empty politicking and an opportune ploy and hindrance towards serious, purposeful reflection and action towards the Second Phase of the Namibian Revolution. Regarding the old guards, it is needless to point this out, as the last 35 years have been nothing more than an affirmation and demonstration of freedom, peace, and justice for their own sake, meaningless to the material conditions of the masses.
During which the notion of the Second Phase, let alone the Namibian Revolution, has seemed, for a greater part, if at all, not to have been part of the conventional parlance of Parliament and its political DNA.
Simply put, these notions have meant nothing to this breed of political old guards, some of whom have now been put in charge of the august house. For once, Yours Truly Ideologically has no reason to believe in the better rather than the worse.
From the onset already, it seems the new president’s mantra of “business unusual” has been set on a course of erosion and/or total destruction and permanent death just before it is applied in practice. As much as theoretically, in terms of the concept of the separation of powers, one would like to think and be convinced that such is the reality in practice in Namibia; the 35 years of independence have been proving the contrary. That Parliament has been no more than a rubber stamp of the executive. As both the National Assembly and the National Council have been dominated thus far by members of the Swapo Party of Namibia.
A reality that, at the end of the day, has been immaterial and inconsequential as far as the improvement of the material conditions of the masses is concerned. These MPs, once in parliament, instead of being themselves and first and foremost, in the national interest, serving the downtrodden, have been the very antithesis of national interest. More than anything else, preoccupied with the dominance and domination of Swapo. A dominance that solely has been for its own sake. Instead of ensuring genuine transformation in the lives of numerous Namibians, 35 years of independence have yielded no tangible benefits.
Ironically, our 35 anniversary of independence was commemorated under the theme: BEYOND 35: FOR A PROSPEROUS FUTURE. An unconscious admission that prosperity, for most Namibians if not all masses, has thus far farbeen illusive. While the essence of Namibia’s independence has been, among others, independence, peace and justice, only the first two have been achieved. Justice has not. However one may define and perceive it. Simply because of Namibia’s independence, due to the lack of ideology and/or ideological understanding, independence has only been an end in itself rather than a means to an end. The end being the Namibian Revolution, ultimately.
Are the members of the National Assembly who have just been sworn in and shall, for the next five years, be entrusted and charged with the push towards the Namibian Revolution ultimately well-disposed and positioned towards this ideology, if only in the least, in their ideological convictions?
Yours Truly Ideologically, they are not convinced, as early as the honourable members may be in the beginning of their five-year parliamentary tenure. Because they are simply joining a meaningless and non-ideological, if altogether not an a-ideological, club. Given the mix of the 8th Namibian National Assembly, it behooves the members themselves to show the suffering and exploited masses that they are more than just a self-serving parochial club of eclectic ideologically empty members. Driven just by the room and fame of honourability and whatever follows it.
The few ideologues in there need to move beyond grandstanding into providing the lead so that the National Assembly output is more than meaningless products emanating from self-placating debates. However, they are driven by a conviction to change the current capitalist status quo. At the very least, they reflect a conviction in change for the fundamental betterment of the masses. For now and eventually for a structural realignment of the Namibian socio-economic dispensation.
Yours Truly Ideologically, it is reminiscent of the Land Bill, which was among the last agenda items of the 7th Parliament but lapsed, and it remains to be seen if it returns. A special parliamentary committee was circumspect about the bill lest it scare foreign direct investment (FDI). One cannot but ask what FDI really means to the indigenes who have been robbed, dispossessed of their land and banished to the economic backyards of the country in the rural impoverished hinterlands of Namibia. While investors continue to buy stolen land with zero benefit to the real owners of this land. It is mind-blowing that the only reference for the would-be members of the special committee is FDI. A clear testimony to how some of the honourable members may be ideologically empty, if not misguided, and thus in need of ideological education, if not rehabilitation. Members of the 8th parliament should disregard this warning at their own risk. But it is not too late for them to undergo a mental and ideological self-reflection, introspection and re-interrogation for eventual ideological emancipation.
