Developmental state, meritocracy and minimum requirements

In May 2019, Saima Mushimba was arrested at the Oshakati Intermediate Hospital. She had impersonated herself as a medical intern who had studied in Russia and was stationed in the hospital casualty's ward. She was reportedly identified by a man who had visited the hospital, from whom she had allegedly stolen a laptop in Windhoek. Ms Mushimba was subsequently charged with fraud and contravention of Section 17 of the Medical and Dental Act.

How a thief ended up at the hospital and how she treated many people was lost in translation. However, an important question is this: what drove Ms Mushimba to do what she did? If we are to gain access to her mind and consciousness, what will we discover about her impression of our society?

At independence, a man returned from exile and was stationed at Katima Mulilo State Hospital as a doctor. He was popular and walked around wearing a white gown, even outside the hospital premises. When it was discovered that he had prescribed an incorrect prescription to a patient, it was decided that his profile/background be investigated. It was subsequently discovered that he was not a doctor but was responsible for cleaning the wounds of injured soldiers in exile. Owing to solidarity politics, his impersonation was condoned, resulting in his transfer to the laundry room, where he worked until retirement. This begs another question: what if Ms Mushimba, at Oshakati casualty, was aware of this Katima Mulilo case?

A few weeks ago, Cabinet resolved that Section 77(a) of the Electoral Act be amended. This section was previously interpreted as requiring candidates employed in the public service, parastatals, and regional and local governments to first resign before their nominations on parliamentary lists could be accepted. The amendment will clarify that they are only required to resign upon election. Why this absurdity was allowed in the first place is indicative of the crisis at hand.

With over 20 political parties registered, it could mean that more than 2 000 Namibians are required to resign when they take the gamble of contesting for 100 positions every five years. Experience indicates that only a few resign to 'apply' for a position. Results have shown that, as a consequence, the unemployed (some of them also semi-literate) and those in the private sector fill the vacuum, ultimately ending up in our parliament and Cabinet. Given that there is no minimum requirement for Members of Parliament (MPs), one can imagine the calibre of MPs we end up with.

Some years ago, Cabinet decided that the offspring of exiled Namibians, known as the Children of the Liberation Struggle (CLS), be employed in the public service in reserved positions without going through public service recruitment procedures. Volunteer cleaners at the health ministry took up the matter with the ombudsman, who took the matter to court. The High Court ruled in March 2021, setting aside this Cabinet decision on the CLS. That more than 30 years after independence, even after implementing free primary and secondary education, there are decisions to employ individuals solely on the basis of the geography of their birth and not any other merits or criteria, is indicative of a tragedy of mind.

‘Zula to survive’

These four cases clearly demonstrate how our country has subordinated meritocracy in preference to irrational and irrelevant considerations. Ordinary Namibians are aware that our society and its leaders do not value meritocracy. Our country is effectively a place to ‘zula to survive’, as one artist once sang, and you can ‘zula’ anywhere. For Ms Mushimba, the place she found to 'zula', in our society that doesn’t value meritocracy, is at the casualty of the said Oshakati hospital. Is there really a difference between Ms Mushimba impersonating herself at the Oshakati hospital and someone demanding a job in the national budget office because she was born in exile?

All countries that have succeeded economically, even in the developing world, are those with serious and decisive leadership that values and champions meritocracy. Indeed, meritocracy is one of the key characteristics of a developmental state. State hospitals in developmental states do not host the Mushimbas, nor do central banks employ people on the basis of the geography of one’s birth. The political leadership in developmental states, in prioritising meritocracy, has understood that the culture of any society is shaped by the worst behaviour a leader is willing to tolerate, to borrow the phrase of Steve Gruenert and Todd Whitaker.

Enlightened members of our society need to stand up to demand the best of and for our country. Leaving state and public affairs in the hands of the semi-literate and desperate adventurists, is fatal. The enlightened in our country must recall the advice of philosopher Aristotle: “The wise who refused to rule should prepare to suffer the rule of idiots."

Next year, the National Human Resources Plan (2010–2025) comes to an end. This plan does not refer to meritocracy even as a principle. We need to change this.

Value education

For our public sector in general and public representatives in particular, the need for meritocracy and minimum requirements is urgent. We must require candidates for local authority, regional council, and National Assembly, to at least meet a minimum educational requirement. Next time you hear statements that “education is not everything,” ask the education background of the person making this statement.

Assess the level of education of those who are publicly declaring that education is not important. These questions must be asked: can the uneducated support education when it is used as a criterion? There is no basis, 34 years after independence, to have a school dropout seated at the head of a table making decisions on behalf of all of us. “Leaders are born,” some will argue.

Wouldn’t a ‘born leader’ excel more with education? Even in African traditional society, meritocracy was always central. Our traditional societies were always led by those skilled and knowledgeable in traditional affairs. Those at cattle posts are equally skilled and knowledgeable in taking care of the animals. A headman who is not knowledgeable in customary law and practices will find it hard to remain in the position. We will never develop without meritocracy in general and minimum requirements and criteria for public representatives in particular.

*Dr Job Shipululo Amupanda is the activist in chief of the Affirmative Repositioning (AR) movement and former mayor of Windhoek. He holds a PhD in Political Studies from the University of Namibia, where he is employed as a senior lecturer.