EDITORIAL: There's value in grace and truth

It is a rare and refreshing sight in today’s cutthroat political landscape when former adversaries of late president Sam Nujoma, once fierce in their opposition, now offer measured and empathetic reflections on his legacy. Leaders from the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) and the Congress of Democrats (CoD) have set aside past grievances to acknowledge the role he played in shaping Namibia.This is how politics should be. It must never descend into such blind hostility that truth becomes a casualty and decency a forgotten relic. As we mourn one of the bravest men our country has produced, we are reminded that shared history is stronger than political rivalry.The breakaways of CoD and RDP from Swapo were seismic moments in Namibia’s political evolution, each heralded as “the breaking of the camel’s back.” Harsh words were exchanged, loyalties were tested and friendships fractured. Yet, in the end, civility has found its way back – perhaps not in full measure, but enough to prove that political differences need not become permanent battle lines.Of course, not everyone has been kind in their remembrance of Nujoma. Some have branded him a killer, arguing that he takes to his grave unaccounted-for atrocities linked to Swapo. In a democracy, one that Nujoma himself helped establish, such questions are not only inevitable but legitimate.But real courage is found in those who speak the truth, even when it echoes the words of an adversary. Perhaps, in honouring Nujoma’s legacy, we can also learn to honour a deeper truth: that democracy thrives not when we all agree, but when we can disagree with dignity.

EDITORIAL: There's value in grace and truth

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-19

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EDITORIAL: There's value in grace and truth

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-19

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