Political loyalty vs delivery

Mulife Muchali writes: I fully concur with Namibian Sun’s editorial of January 9 titled ‘Political loyalty vs delivery’. The lines are already drawn in an independent Namibia! It is not one’s skills that matters, but what the colour of your skin is, your ethnic background and which political party you belong to. Namibia just like any African State plays along in favouring party loyalists against anyone deemed to be harbouring a different mindset, especially someone from a different political party. Political opportunists have realised what tune to sing and which scarf to put on if they want to get to the top in the public service. Indeed, merit alone is not enough. A candidate or comrade has to guarantee a vote that will keep Namibia’s political fat cats sitting in those black leather sofas. This is a problem Namibia will carry on with for a long time, as the country keeps duplicating people with the same thinking. They perpetuate jobs for comrades and dispel hibernators, even in the public service. Namibia’s political influence is so intertwined with everything that happens in the country. The system does not allow independent bodies to manage the country’s resources as seen fit, but have to be sanctioned by someone else within the corridors of power. This is the reason many of Namibia’s corrupt and inefficient office bearers in private and public institutions can sleep on duty. No one can touch them, because that is how the system has been designed. Whites have come to accept the policy of affirmative action, which discriminates against them and has them looking the other way whenever government or State-funded private institute posts a job opening. Just like former American President George Bush once said: “Either you are with us or you are with the terrorists. So it is in Namibia. It is about who is brandishing the blue, green, and red flag around their neck and nothing else. That is what has come to define Namibia’s public office and those entrusted to deliver on government policy. It is not about their expertise, but where their loyalty lies. Such a system has made many countries fall into pieces and then it’s the poor that feel the consequences of a failed delivery system. For example, Namibians die on hospital beds without proper medication, schools are running without enough text books, police stations have cars packed with no petrol, roads are crumbling without any repairs and sewage is bleeding in towns and no one cares. There list is growing longer and longer. And every month a Namibian burns to death in a shack! Housing has become a far-fetched dream. When will the ‘comrades’ deliver? We have not forgotten that photographs have been published of parliamentarians sleeping while parliament is in session. If that is the best example shown by those leading the country, what more should Namibians expect from ordinary citizens who are civil servants? The only way out for a responsible and accountable government that will ensure that the best candidate for any public or private job posting can compete on the same level is if Namibia’s three branches of government separate and act independently of one another. This will see parliament questioning the executive on what is happening in terms of public service delivery. The judiciary will then also guarantee that all Namibians have a level playing field, without being discriminated against because of their political beliefs or their race. That may work, but will still not guarantee a level playing field for all Namibians. As a result, being a progressive puppet is the best answer. Put that scarf on, even against your own conscience. As things stand now, there is no way Namibia can escape from this political malaise that has disadvantaged many of its citizens. People that are capable and professional in all ways are left out in the cold because they are but perceived as different.