No place for thieves
19 November 2019 | Opinion
One shudders to think what may be in the minds of some political strategists when they roll out tainted individuals as drawcards at rallies ahead of the 2019 general election.
Is it just sheer arrogance, or a misreading of the anger of ordinary Namibians who will be punching their choices into the electronic voting machines (EVMs) on 27 November? Corruption has been firmly positioned at the centre of the political campaigns ahead of the vote.
How can it not be so, when two cabinet ministers resigned last week amid a N$150 million bribery scandal involving the country's fisheries? Of course, they should have their day in court to state their case and prove their innocence.
Graft, especially in a nation that is grappling with a mountain of joblessness and despair, is one of the true enemies of the people, so it is beyond comprehension that any political party would invite scathing criticism by having their campaigns linked to tainted individuals.
In this case the anger of the nation should not be underestimated. What has become clear is that connections are being drawn between what ordinary citizens are going through and the rampant self-enrichment that has taken place unchecked over the years. Now what to do with this anger? Surely anger for anger's sake is not a justifiable situation. That emotion alone has the tendency of spinning out of control and becoming immensely destructive. This is true in our day-to-day relationships and how we navigate the current political discourse.
It has become obvious that those who have stolen opportunities, and literally food out of the mouths of our people, need to be shunned and made an example of. Thieves and the corrupt of all political and business persuasions should no longer be allowed to enjoy their loot unhindered, while the rest of us scrounge or continue to sweat to make a living. This should be true whether it's election season or not.
Is it just sheer arrogance, or a misreading of the anger of ordinary Namibians who will be punching their choices into the electronic voting machines (EVMs) on 27 November? Corruption has been firmly positioned at the centre of the political campaigns ahead of the vote.
How can it not be so, when two cabinet ministers resigned last week amid a N$150 million bribery scandal involving the country's fisheries? Of course, they should have their day in court to state their case and prove their innocence.
Graft, especially in a nation that is grappling with a mountain of joblessness and despair, is one of the true enemies of the people, so it is beyond comprehension that any political party would invite scathing criticism by having their campaigns linked to tainted individuals.
In this case the anger of the nation should not be underestimated. What has become clear is that connections are being drawn between what ordinary citizens are going through and the rampant self-enrichment that has taken place unchecked over the years. Now what to do with this anger? Surely anger for anger's sake is not a justifiable situation. That emotion alone has the tendency of spinning out of control and becoming immensely destructive. This is true in our day-to-day relationships and how we navigate the current political discourse.
It has become obvious that those who have stolen opportunities, and literally food out of the mouths of our people, need to be shunned and made an example of. Thieves and the corrupt of all political and business persuasions should no longer be allowed to enjoy their loot unhindered, while the rest of us scrounge or continue to sweat to make a living. This should be true whether it's election season or not.
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