Is a one-day Independence Day celebration necessary?
By White Love Kadhila
Last month, political leaders, diplomats, civil servants, and some members of the public travelled to Rundu for the celebration of Independence Day. Different means of transportation was used, accommodation bookings were made and people were fed because it was all about celebration. After 27 years of independence, I still fail to understand what exactly the people went to celebrate about and also what they have been celebrating? Costs were incurred just like before to cater for this party, by a government that not long ago claimed to not have money.
I find it disturbing that the government has money to throw at a one-day party, when we have people that have been living in poverty for years. When we have street kids begging for money in the streets with no shelter to sleep under at night, a high unemployment rate, a widening gap between the rich and the poor and landless citizens. It would have been better for a change, if the government used all the money used for the celebration to feed the poor and to invest in the youth of the country, since they are “the apparent future leaders”. This we are told even though deep within us we know some of our elders will turn 90 years old still their positions, unless we bury them six feet under the ground. Only then can the youth probably take over. Give financial help to the needy and give different kinds of donations to members of the public. I went to a school where a textbook was shared by four or five of us. Not to mention how we shared single hostel beds, bathed with cold water and at times we bought answer booklets ourselves, because the government didn't provide enough books for all schools in the region. And where we had a shortage of both tables and chairs at Haimbili Haufiku Senior Secondary School in the Ohangwena Region, on the basis that the government was and still is throwing such parties at the expense of the Namibian children in our schools. It's a shame such things are still in existence, and while they worsen, we celebrate.
With all these problems we are faced with, what have you been really celebrating? Unity, liberty, freedom of speech, peace and stability? Well if yes, let me remind you that such things are not edible, because as much as we are thankful for such, we are doing so on empty stomachs, living in shacks with no electricity, no proper sanitation and no potable water. What is the use of paying for a one-day celebration party, when you could use the money to buy food hampers and feed people for a month or two instead of feeding them for a one-day celebration with salads, cool drinks and whatever those catering companies of your families/friends that you awarded the cooking tenders too, cooked for the day? It will be better for the government stops throwing such parties and uses the money to benefit those at the grassroots levels. If it's about teaching the younger ones about the history of the country, since you are always talking about “when you were in exile” at Independence Day celebrations, there are plenty of books written about the Namibian history, a number of related documentaries on the internet, past Independence Day celebrations are there too and in fact Social Studies and History are subjects taught in schools that are about the history of the country.
My stance is - I'm not against such celebrations. I don't however find it reasonable as to why the government should incur expenses for such a celebration while most of us are living in abject poverty and some still didn't get their salaries since January, particularly those from the ministry of education. Others can't use their medical aid and some are fortunate enough to be NSFAF loan holders but still live with the pending balances of tuition fees from last year, all these are results of the government's incapability to solve our challenges. Why didn't the government use all the money wasted during independence to help the needy, in order to alleviate, reduce and eradicate poverty? And let Independence Day be celebrated just like Christmas day? An important public holiday of course, which is celebrated on our own cost, without the government having to throw a national party celebration. That way money can be saved and be used productively, as there is no use in feeding people for a few hours after singing songs and clapping hands for you and suddenly have to go back to their poor lifestyles.
When we solve these basic need issues, then we can start throwing such parties. Since we have done the most with the money entrusted to the government, it ought to pull up its socks and rise to the challenge. And of course others may argue with the narrative of “Rome wasn't built in a day”, but it has now been 9 855 days, 27 years, yet we still live in poverty. Otherwise thank you so much for peace and stability, but until it can feed our stomachs, it is not good enough. We will be the jobless, poverty-stricken Namibia, whose identity is that of a corrupt country with no national achievement to show. It will still be about the haves and the have-nots, where the haves will continue to gain more and the have-nots will continue to lose more and gain nothing. It's high time the government prioritise its spending, a song that has been sung for quite some time now, and one you have been giving a deaf ear to. Happy belated 27 years of poverty, corruption and “Independence” Namibia!
*White-Love Kadhila is a 2016 holder of a Bachelor of Public Management holder from the University of Namibia
Last month, political leaders, diplomats, civil servants, and some members of the public travelled to Rundu for the celebration of Independence Day. Different means of transportation was used, accommodation bookings were made and people were fed because it was all about celebration. After 27 years of independence, I still fail to understand what exactly the people went to celebrate about and also what they have been celebrating? Costs were incurred just like before to cater for this party, by a government that not long ago claimed to not have money.
I find it disturbing that the government has money to throw at a one-day party, when we have people that have been living in poverty for years. When we have street kids begging for money in the streets with no shelter to sleep under at night, a high unemployment rate, a widening gap between the rich and the poor and landless citizens. It would have been better for a change, if the government used all the money used for the celebration to feed the poor and to invest in the youth of the country, since they are “the apparent future leaders”. This we are told even though deep within us we know some of our elders will turn 90 years old still their positions, unless we bury them six feet under the ground. Only then can the youth probably take over. Give financial help to the needy and give different kinds of donations to members of the public. I went to a school where a textbook was shared by four or five of us. Not to mention how we shared single hostel beds, bathed with cold water and at times we bought answer booklets ourselves, because the government didn't provide enough books for all schools in the region. And where we had a shortage of both tables and chairs at Haimbili Haufiku Senior Secondary School in the Ohangwena Region, on the basis that the government was and still is throwing such parties at the expense of the Namibian children in our schools. It's a shame such things are still in existence, and while they worsen, we celebrate.
With all these problems we are faced with, what have you been really celebrating? Unity, liberty, freedom of speech, peace and stability? Well if yes, let me remind you that such things are not edible, because as much as we are thankful for such, we are doing so on empty stomachs, living in shacks with no electricity, no proper sanitation and no potable water. What is the use of paying for a one-day celebration party, when you could use the money to buy food hampers and feed people for a month or two instead of feeding them for a one-day celebration with salads, cool drinks and whatever those catering companies of your families/friends that you awarded the cooking tenders too, cooked for the day? It will be better for the government stops throwing such parties and uses the money to benefit those at the grassroots levels. If it's about teaching the younger ones about the history of the country, since you are always talking about “when you were in exile” at Independence Day celebrations, there are plenty of books written about the Namibian history, a number of related documentaries on the internet, past Independence Day celebrations are there too and in fact Social Studies and History are subjects taught in schools that are about the history of the country.
My stance is - I'm not against such celebrations. I don't however find it reasonable as to why the government should incur expenses for such a celebration while most of us are living in abject poverty and some still didn't get their salaries since January, particularly those from the ministry of education. Others can't use their medical aid and some are fortunate enough to be NSFAF loan holders but still live with the pending balances of tuition fees from last year, all these are results of the government's incapability to solve our challenges. Why didn't the government use all the money wasted during independence to help the needy, in order to alleviate, reduce and eradicate poverty? And let Independence Day be celebrated just like Christmas day? An important public holiday of course, which is celebrated on our own cost, without the government having to throw a national party celebration. That way money can be saved and be used productively, as there is no use in feeding people for a few hours after singing songs and clapping hands for you and suddenly have to go back to their poor lifestyles.
When we solve these basic need issues, then we can start throwing such parties. Since we have done the most with the money entrusted to the government, it ought to pull up its socks and rise to the challenge. And of course others may argue with the narrative of “Rome wasn't built in a day”, but it has now been 9 855 days, 27 years, yet we still live in poverty. Otherwise thank you so much for peace and stability, but until it can feed our stomachs, it is not good enough. We will be the jobless, poverty-stricken Namibia, whose identity is that of a corrupt country with no national achievement to show. It will still be about the haves and the have-nots, where the haves will continue to gain more and the have-nots will continue to lose more and gain nothing. It's high time the government prioritise its spending, a song that has been sung for quite some time now, and one you have been giving a deaf ear to. Happy belated 27 years of poverty, corruption and “Independence” Namibia!
*White-Love Kadhila is a 2016 holder of a Bachelor of Public Management holder from the University of Namibia
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