The Namibian state and its obligations
Lawrens Nuuyoma Shatumbu
An American political scientist Goran Hyden defined the state as a territorial association, with a defined geographical jurisdiction, encompassing and providing for all those who live within its borders, whether they are citizens or non-citizens. On the international stage, the state is therefore regarded as an autonomous entity. The state has a robust function and responsibility; to provide for the wellbeing of its population, protect it from internal and external threats, ensuring that basic needs are provided for such as education and healthcare, amongst other needs. Does the Namibian state serve its purpose and fulfil what Jean Jacques Rousseau referred to as the “general will” of its people?
For the past 26 years, the state has been the largest employer; it built hospitals, health centres, schools, roads, railways, to mention but few. As for education the state built more than 1 700 schools in the country. It went further to ensure that primary and secondary education is free. In relation to poverty, the state started by increasing the senior citizens pension grants as from N$600 to N$1 000 with 10% increase for the next four years. Furthermore other projects and programmes are expected as outlined in Harambee such as the food bank. Potable water and electricity is available in most parts of the country, even the remote areas.
Further, year in and out, the state recruits young men and women in army and police to strengthen the country’s security. The state implemented several projects and programmes, such as Operation Omake, Men and Women networks, Spy Bills, cyber security and traffic road blocks amongst others, to curb criminal activities. Recently it was reported that Operation Omake seized at least 2 577 illegal weapons. We can therefore conclude that the state is fulfilling its purpose towards the masses’ general will.
The government has worked towards maintaining peace, stability and is now talking about stability and prosperity. Can they sustain what they have manifested in Vision 2030? Vision 2030 entails 17 goals with the primary focus areas on sustainable development, democratic governance and peacebuilding, poverty eradication, inequality etc. The unemployment rate is at 27.4% and the poverty rate is at 28.7%, while the human development index is trailing at 0.608. The figures are shocking compared to the gross national income per capita of US$5 973 in relation to the country’s population of 2.3 million. Is it to be understood that we are well on course towards 2030?
Although the state provided healthcare, education and security amongst others – there exists a number of citizens who have lost faith in state services. In some surprising and scandalous cases, even the state itself has lost faith in its services. We hear that the Harambee Prosperity Plan is not replacing the National Development Plans (NDPs) but rather fast-tracking development programmes. If Harambee is to fast-track the projects on behalf of NDP what will happen to NDP? Furthermore, the state is planning to establish an Independent Revenue Authority to collect revenue on behalf of the government. Is there a trust deficit? The establishment of parallel programmes and institutions is concerning. Individuals citizens are opting for private healthcare, private schools, private legal services, private security; this is an indication that they have lost faith and hope in state services. For example, let’s look at the number of private security companies in the country, with critical observation one can conclude that these companies employ more people and perhaps possess more weapons than the police. These private firms are guarding most if not all buildings in the country, be it schools, shopping malls, hospitals, health centre, clinics, ministries and other government agencies. Even the transport of cash is done by private security companies. Are we therefore saying that the state does not have the capacity to handle these functions, or is just the ignorance of the state turning a blind eye? I wonder how this is not relevant to national security.
Another contemporary challenge facing our state is the urban land problem. The state must swiftly act to address the crisis, as at a moment the HPP and Affirmative Repositioning (AR) are not the instruments to fast-track this issue. The people already show their dissatisfaction by taking the matter on their own hands, as we saw in Walvis Bay and Rehoboth recently. What we are expecting is a mass urban land grab across the country. It would have been better if the AR reached an agreement with local authorities other than the central government. This does not mean that the state is not able to service 200 000 plots, this shows that the state is operating through a neo-patrimonial system. It is no surprise that the state can only service 26 000 out of 200 000 plots. The state chooses what to do or not to do.
This dissatisfaction and the fact that people losing faith in the state, is a wake-up call to the government ensure for the efficient delivery to avoid the new wave democracy movement. The state is two or one steps behind the social movement of youth and intelligentsia which toppled some states in Africa. The state needs to understand which course of action will give the most beneficial results, and the sustainability of such.
*Lawrens Nuuyoma Shatumbu is a third-year student studying towards a Bachelor of Public Management at the University of Namibia.
An American political scientist Goran Hyden defined the state as a territorial association, with a defined geographical jurisdiction, encompassing and providing for all those who live within its borders, whether they are citizens or non-citizens. On the international stage, the state is therefore regarded as an autonomous entity. The state has a robust function and responsibility; to provide for the wellbeing of its population, protect it from internal and external threats, ensuring that basic needs are provided for such as education and healthcare, amongst other needs. Does the Namibian state serve its purpose and fulfil what Jean Jacques Rousseau referred to as the “general will” of its people?
For the past 26 years, the state has been the largest employer; it built hospitals, health centres, schools, roads, railways, to mention but few. As for education the state built more than 1 700 schools in the country. It went further to ensure that primary and secondary education is free. In relation to poverty, the state started by increasing the senior citizens pension grants as from N$600 to N$1 000 with 10% increase for the next four years. Furthermore other projects and programmes are expected as outlined in Harambee such as the food bank. Potable water and electricity is available in most parts of the country, even the remote areas.
Further, year in and out, the state recruits young men and women in army and police to strengthen the country’s security. The state implemented several projects and programmes, such as Operation Omake, Men and Women networks, Spy Bills, cyber security and traffic road blocks amongst others, to curb criminal activities. Recently it was reported that Operation Omake seized at least 2 577 illegal weapons. We can therefore conclude that the state is fulfilling its purpose towards the masses’ general will.
The government has worked towards maintaining peace, stability and is now talking about stability and prosperity. Can they sustain what they have manifested in Vision 2030? Vision 2030 entails 17 goals with the primary focus areas on sustainable development, democratic governance and peacebuilding, poverty eradication, inequality etc. The unemployment rate is at 27.4% and the poverty rate is at 28.7%, while the human development index is trailing at 0.608. The figures are shocking compared to the gross national income per capita of US$5 973 in relation to the country’s population of 2.3 million. Is it to be understood that we are well on course towards 2030?
Although the state provided healthcare, education and security amongst others – there exists a number of citizens who have lost faith in state services. In some surprising and scandalous cases, even the state itself has lost faith in its services. We hear that the Harambee Prosperity Plan is not replacing the National Development Plans (NDPs) but rather fast-tracking development programmes. If Harambee is to fast-track the projects on behalf of NDP what will happen to NDP? Furthermore, the state is planning to establish an Independent Revenue Authority to collect revenue on behalf of the government. Is there a trust deficit? The establishment of parallel programmes and institutions is concerning. Individuals citizens are opting for private healthcare, private schools, private legal services, private security; this is an indication that they have lost faith and hope in state services. For example, let’s look at the number of private security companies in the country, with critical observation one can conclude that these companies employ more people and perhaps possess more weapons than the police. These private firms are guarding most if not all buildings in the country, be it schools, shopping malls, hospitals, health centre, clinics, ministries and other government agencies. Even the transport of cash is done by private security companies. Are we therefore saying that the state does not have the capacity to handle these functions, or is just the ignorance of the state turning a blind eye? I wonder how this is not relevant to national security.
Another contemporary challenge facing our state is the urban land problem. The state must swiftly act to address the crisis, as at a moment the HPP and Affirmative Repositioning (AR) are not the instruments to fast-track this issue. The people already show their dissatisfaction by taking the matter on their own hands, as we saw in Walvis Bay and Rehoboth recently. What we are expecting is a mass urban land grab across the country. It would have been better if the AR reached an agreement with local authorities other than the central government. This does not mean that the state is not able to service 200 000 plots, this shows that the state is operating through a neo-patrimonial system. It is no surprise that the state can only service 26 000 out of 200 000 plots. The state chooses what to do or not to do.
This dissatisfaction and the fact that people losing faith in the state, is a wake-up call to the government ensure for the efficient delivery to avoid the new wave democracy movement. The state is two or one steps behind the social movement of youth and intelligentsia which toppled some states in Africa. The state needs to understand which course of action will give the most beneficial results, and the sustainability of such.
*Lawrens Nuuyoma Shatumbu is a third-year student studying towards a Bachelor of Public Management at the University of Namibia.
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