A third term for President Hage Geingob: Political considerations (Part 1)
JOSEPHAT INAMBAO SINVULA
The contents in this brief article are to be viewed as my personal observations. I do not want to claim expertise as to what is happening within the inner Swapo Party circle. As a bona fide staunch member and a student of political science, however, I cannot claim ignorance either!
My interest in and appreciation of my article stem from the fact that utilising a mixed-method case study approach, I am of the view and support of the American adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. President Hage Geingob is popular, competent and does a good job; perhaps it is best that he stays in office for a third term.
Conversely, Namibia is involved in a crisis of succession and the economy and government organisation can be thrown off balance by a change in leadership. In addition, a president with impeccable experience can be more beneficial to the nation’s well-being.
True, Article 29 of the Namibian Constitution explicitly makes it clear that the president’s term of office shall be five years and that a person shall hold office as president for not more than two terms. I also take cognisance of the fact that the purpose of term limits acts a method of curbing the potential for monopoly where a leader effectively becomes ‘president for life’. But Article 29 is not cast in stone as the national interest must prevail.
History teaches us that apart from constitutional factors, incumbents’ individual characteristics matter. Presidents considered to be father figures, for instance founding president Sam Nujoma, Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia, Kamuzu Banda of Malawi or Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, are more likely to contest the term limit.
A string of African leaders in countries such as Rwanda, Uganda and Cameroon have extended presidential term limits or amended the constitution in order to remain in power and countries such as Rwanda and Uganda have stellar economies with accelerated economic growth the same way European leaders such as Angela Merkel of Germany or Vladimir Putin of Russia have been in power for decades .
* Josephat Inambao Sinvula is a holder of a BSc and MPA from Virginia Commonwealth University and Atlanta University (USA) and a PhD candidate in Political Science.
The contents in this brief article are to be viewed as my personal observations. I do not want to claim expertise as to what is happening within the inner Swapo Party circle. As a bona fide staunch member and a student of political science, however, I cannot claim ignorance either!
My interest in and appreciation of my article stem from the fact that utilising a mixed-method case study approach, I am of the view and support of the American adage, “If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it”. President Hage Geingob is popular, competent and does a good job; perhaps it is best that he stays in office for a third term.
Conversely, Namibia is involved in a crisis of succession and the economy and government organisation can be thrown off balance by a change in leadership. In addition, a president with impeccable experience can be more beneficial to the nation’s well-being.
True, Article 29 of the Namibian Constitution explicitly makes it clear that the president’s term of office shall be five years and that a person shall hold office as president for not more than two terms. I also take cognisance of the fact that the purpose of term limits acts a method of curbing the potential for monopoly where a leader effectively becomes ‘president for life’. But Article 29 is not cast in stone as the national interest must prevail.
History teaches us that apart from constitutional factors, incumbents’ individual characteristics matter. Presidents considered to be father figures, for instance founding president Sam Nujoma, Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia, Kamuzu Banda of Malawi or Robert Mugabe of Zimbabwe, are more likely to contest the term limit.
A string of African leaders in countries such as Rwanda, Uganda and Cameroon have extended presidential term limits or amended the constitution in order to remain in power and countries such as Rwanda and Uganda have stellar economies with accelerated economic growth the same way European leaders such as Angela Merkel of Germany or Vladimir Putin of Russia have been in power for decades .
* Josephat Inambao Sinvula is a holder of a BSc and MPA from Virginia Commonwealth University and Atlanta University (USA) and a PhD candidate in Political Science.
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