Yours Truly Ideologically – Seventh Installment: Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro
In a post-colonial Namibia, a cluster of the various socio-economic classes, which drove and spearheaded the liberation war, dating back to the war against German colonialism and imperialism, and ultimately against South African occupation, have been the ones in charge, politically.
Of course with the help of the invisible hand of the former colonisers, this time in the form of corporate businesses, especially transnational corporations. While the local political elite has been seemingly in charge, actually since they are not in control of the economy, their being in charge is only nominal and minimalist and not actual. Hence, the reference and reality of flag independence.
The national political elite, in collaboration with the local corporate bourgeoisie, have become willing tools of the international propertied class, given their aspiration to this class themselves, and at times believing erroneously and naively, that they are part and parcel of it. But in essence they are just facilitators and agents of the continued siphoning of the national resources, ala Fish rot lately, and agents of the continued entrenchment of the capitalist mode of production. Thereby continuing the alienation of the other classes, especially the proletariat, the lumpen-proletariat and the peasantry. Whom the end product of their sweat and toil, the profit, they remain ever alienated to. Not owning the national resources of their country. Nor their labour, which in the capitalist mode of production is a mere a commodity.
Albeit the ruling elite would want to make us believe, and impress all and sundry, especially the exploited masses, with their development agenda. But rarely is such an agenda designed and poised for a fundamental change of the status quo, in which capitalism reigns supreme. Not to mention the fact that in Namibia no conceptual framework exists for the mixed economy notion enshrined in the Constitution. Let alone the fashionable reference to a developmental state, cognisant of the fact that the notion of such has increasingly become questionable in its intent and essence in delivering for the masses.
What development, and under what kind of socio-economic system? The capitalist one, as there’s no denial in Namibia that the capitalist socio-economic system is still intact with little pretense of ever doing away with it, now or in the distant future. Hence, the supposition that something went wrong with the Anti-Colonial Revolution. But did anything actually go wrong with the Anti-Colonial Revolution as opposed to those in the driving seat, then during the liberation war, and currently during the transition towards democracy?
Granted only that those who drove the First Phase of the African (Namibian) Revolution) did what they could, fighting for freedom and independence, which was commendable. Imperative for the Second Phase of the African (Namibian) Revolution, if they ever contemplated such, which indeed they must have. But if they did not one cannot actually blame them. Not given their ideological disposition, which increasingly has been becoming suspect.
From all indications this far, The Second Phase of the Namibian Revolution, which for that matter must have been contemplated with and during the war for liberation, has indeed not begun. If this may not have been the intention of those who agitated and fought for the realisation of the Democratic Revolution, which is the First Phase of the African (Namibian) Revolution, so be it. But there can be no denial that the Second Phase of the Namibian Revolution must have followed. Because freedom and independence was and could not, as already reasoned previously in this column, have been an end in itself. More often these days one hears about social justice. However, this term has never been defined, albeit, ideologically. But still one cannot blame those who heralded Namibian independence through various contributions and in varying degrees and capacities, for their lack of revolutionary foresight, or in the least ideological vision.
Granted that there and then the necessary and sufficient subjective and objective conditions for freedom, independence and sovereignty existed, hence the reason why we gained freedom, independence and sovereignty. But if there and then perhaps the subjective and objective conditions may not have existed to allow for the requisite mapping out of a reconstruction plan or plan for a radical socio-economic transformation, but only for gaining flag independence, so be it. But now is the time.
The current generation would have no one to blame but themselves if they do not and cannot see the way out of the obvious socio-economic impasse in terms of a radical transformation, and leading it, ideologically and otherwise. Likewise, the liberation war generation, which is slowly fading away, cannot be the one to stand in the way of any revolutionary outlook. [that may be]. As they say every generation is judged by its own times and deeds.
Admittedly the liberation war generation has been judged for its [and] deeds during the epoch in question, the liberation epoch. They did deliver. But to re-paraphrase Dr Koma, The Second Phase of the African (Namibian) Revolution Must Now Begin!
