EDITORIAL: Swapo can’t clean the house by hiding the dirt

Swapo’s sharp decline at the ballot box wasn’t caused by corruption alone – it was caused by denying it, hiding it and treating it like a rumour rather than a rot.Corruption exists. That’s not up for debate. It exists here, there, everywhere. No society is immune from the poison of greed. But the difference between societies that thrive and those that crumble lies in how they respond to the rot when it shows up.Namibia’s tragedy isn’t just that corruption happens – it’s that too many of our leaders choose to sweep it under the carpet, fearing the political consequences of exposure. That fear is misguided. It’s not exposing corruption that damages a party’s image – it’s the cover-up that enrages citizens.When minister James Sankwasa took a hard line against dodgy councillors and questionable local governance, many assumed he’d be cutting the ruling party’s throat. In truth, he might be offering a lifeline to a party standing by its gravesite.Namibians aren’t naïve. They know corruption exists. What they’re sick of is the silence. That’s what fuels voter disillusionment, not a minister cleaning house.As things stand, Sankwasa is the lone wolf. But no one man can shoulder the burden of rebuilding trust in government alone. If Swapo wants to claw back its credibility, it needs more Sankwasas – not just in podium rhetoric, but in action.Yet even Sankwasa isn’t above scrutiny. The controversy surrounding the lucrative consultancy his firm landed from the agriculture ministry reeks of the very conflict of interest he’s been calling out in others. To his credit, he’s agreed to face public questioning on The Agenda this Sunday – an opportunity for Namibians to hear his side of the story and judge for themselves.

EDITORIAL: Swapo can’t clean the house by hiding the dirt

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Namibian Sun 2025-11-05

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EDITORIAL: Swapo can’t clean the house by hiding the dirt

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Namibian Sun 2025-11-05

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