Accountability is a cornerstone

We can preach as much as we want but the current public accountability mechanisms are not as efficient and effective as the powers that be claim it is.

There is a great fear that the lack of accountability has corroded public respect for political leaders as well as their counterparts in the corporate world.

Whilst public office-bearers are answerable to the appointing authority, there is a growing culture within government whereby certain officials wield so much influence to such an extent that they seem to be accountable to no one.

Like in any democracy, ultimately government is accountable to the citizens of the country and must maintain openness and accountability all the time, especially when it comes to decisions made.

From a public service point of view, our leaders cannot only commit themselves to transparency, accountability and the rule of law, while shying away from duly informing the citizenry on important matters.

While the presidency has led by example by always entertaining media enquiries, the same cannot be said about certain ministries and government agencies. Journalists are in most cases sent from pillar to post in the execution of their duties.

This has had a negative impact on the country's citizens who use the various media platforms for relevant news and information. The selective dissemination of information discourages public participation in policymaking and this does not augur well for a democracy like Namibia where a strong emphasis should be placed on greater accountability and transparency.

One of the best ways to deepen our hard-won democracy is to foster a culture of transparency and accountability in both public and private sectors. By doing so, citizens are given the necessary space to hold their leaders accountable, while continuing to demand increased space for public participation.

We sincerely hope that ministers and state-owned enterprises will start arranging regular media events to openly discuss pertinent issues around their operations.

The public is crying out for the integrity and selfless service of open leaders who are willing to frankly engage the Fourth Estate on issues of public interest.