'Are we dom or dom?'

At the expense of other important aspects, most analyses of former liberation-movement-led, post-war societies focus on politics of affection and development deficits. Think of an analysis of the security sector. When last did you encounter a discourse on the intelligence services and economic development? Do our intelligence leaders see themselves as designing economic outcomes for our country? For our country, the design and orientation of the Swapo exile intelligence system permeated the post-independence national intelligence. In exile, it had three main concerns; firstly, to secure the liberation movement and its leaders; secondly, through surveillance and reconnaissance, to respond to and counter the apartheid security machinations and thirdly to ensure cohesion, obedience and uniformity within the liberation movement itself through counter-intelligence. This was engraved into the psyche of many Swapo combatants and operatives.

After independence Swapo populated the police, army and intelligence with its cadres. Though in a constitutional space, the exile-security psyche remained. Late Peter Ekandjo, former intelligence officer, recounted his return to Namibia: “When the plane landed, I could see uniformed members of the task force standing around the airport. I immediately told myself that the security police members were there to identify those that they were looking for, including me. While disembarking from the aircraft, I noticed hordes of people wearing Swapo colours and waving the party’s flag. Insecurity and fears immediately disappeared.”

Because of this orientation, combatants found it difficult to see people, in an independent democratic Namibia, expressing critical views about Sam Nujoma, the President of Namibia, to whom he remained their commander-in-chief rather than the president. This partly explained why combatants reacted differently to Presidents Pohamba and Geingob compared to Nujoma. This orientation makes it difficult for our security officials to ponder their role in economic development.

Think of why transborder crimes with neighbours seem to not concern our security officials as protests do. Why are they not concerned with foreign criminals acquiring citizenship dubiously? It’s the same with foreign-influenced political parties or government leaders in foreign pockets. Think of guns stolen from the police storage, with no one held responsible with news that these guns are supplied to gangs in South Africa. Does it mean a militia can easily be formed with easy access to police guns? Our security leaders are seemingly not as concerned about these matters as they are about the critics of those in power. Think of how swiftly the police moved to interrogate a wobbly man who made death threats about the three presidents. Our security leaders are more concerned about listening to cell phone gossip in order to brief the president.

Safeguard the country

In serious countries, national security is not limited to making presidents feel good and secure. Serious brains are deployed to the security system, to stretch their brains to the very architecture of the national economy. Here is an example. Our national intelligence would embark on ‘Operation Safeguard’, or OS22, to stimulate industrialisation to undercut the sources of current and future threats to national security.

Firstly, we know that the close to N$4 billion tender to supply food to public schools is given to companies that obtain the food supply from South Africa. To deal with this security threat, the OS22 will cause companies to source the food inside Namibia by ensuring that producers and suppliers sign uptake agreements to ensure and protect production. As a result, this will build our agricultural sector, create jobs and protect the local economy.

Secondly, OS22 will create a shoe manufacturing factory. Our mining industry provides more than 15 00 direct jobs of which more than 9 000 are permanent. If 5 000 of these workers require two pairs of safety boots per year, 10 000 pairs are required each year. Currently, these pairs are imported. OS22 will ensure that mining companies sign agreements for the 10 000 pairs per year. The result is industrialisation, employment and economic growth.

Third, GIPF is already involved in the banking sector with shares in two commercial banks. OS22 will create a state bank in which GIPF will invest N$5 billion. The Bank of Namibia, following sections 73 (1) (b) and (b) of the Bank of Namibia Act (Act No.1 of 2020), will ensure this state bank is created without fail.

If you are informed, you know that successful economies had their OS22s. We are left behind because exile intelligence attitudes still dominate. Help me answer this question I was recently asked in a Shebeen: “Are we dom or dom?”

*Muthoni waKongola, a native of Kongola in the Zambezi region, is primarily concerned with analysing society and offering ideas for a better Namibia. She is reachable at [email protected] or @wakongola on twitter