EDITORIAL: No tribal shield for corruption
Landless People’s Movement (LPM) leader Bernadus Swartbooi’s recent remarks that he would invite Donald Trump into Namibia’s domestic affairs are deeply troubling. While the comments may have been political theatre, they stem from a serious matter - the attempted arrest of two ||Kharas councillors accused of manipulating recruitment processes to favour a lower-ranking candidate.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is investigating claims that the councillors overturned the interview panel’s recommendation and appointed a candidate who ranked fourth - bypassing the top performer and everyone else in between. This is not a minor procedural gripe; it goes to the heart of fairness, governance, and how public institutions must function.
Swartbooi’s narrative - that the ACC is targeting certain Namibians on tribal grounds - falls flat. We may have numerous concerns about the ACC: its inconsistency, selective enthusiasm, and questionable priorities. But tribal bias is not a credible accusation.
Swartbooi’s broader call for inclusiveness is fair and even admirable. Namibia’s democracy thrives when every community feels seen and valued. But to imply that corruption suspects should be shielded by tribal identity is unacceptable. Corruption is corruption, regardless of who commits it.
There are legitimate reasons why one might occasionally sideline the top-ranked candidate in favour of the second - experience, temperament, or community fit. It is not ideal, but at least it can be debated. But no defensible governance principle justifies leaping over candidates ranked second and third and picking a distant fourth, especially against the explicit recommendation of the hiring panel. That is not transformation or inclusivity; it is manipulation.
And manipulation of public hiring processes is corruption - full stop.
Namibia cannot afford to normalise tribal arguments as political shields for wrongdoing. Once we cross that line, accountability dies. That road leads to nowhere good.
The Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) is investigating claims that the councillors overturned the interview panel’s recommendation and appointed a candidate who ranked fourth - bypassing the top performer and everyone else in between. This is not a minor procedural gripe; it goes to the heart of fairness, governance, and how public institutions must function.
Swartbooi’s narrative - that the ACC is targeting certain Namibians on tribal grounds - falls flat. We may have numerous concerns about the ACC: its inconsistency, selective enthusiasm, and questionable priorities. But tribal bias is not a credible accusation.
Swartbooi’s broader call for inclusiveness is fair and even admirable. Namibia’s democracy thrives when every community feels seen and valued. But to imply that corruption suspects should be shielded by tribal identity is unacceptable. Corruption is corruption, regardless of who commits it.
There are legitimate reasons why one might occasionally sideline the top-ranked candidate in favour of the second - experience, temperament, or community fit. It is not ideal, but at least it can be debated. But no defensible governance principle justifies leaping over candidates ranked second and third and picking a distant fourth, especially against the explicit recommendation of the hiring panel. That is not transformation or inclusivity; it is manipulation.
And manipulation of public hiring processes is corruption - full stop.
Namibia cannot afford to normalise tribal arguments as political shields for wrongdoing. Once we cross that line, accountability dies. That road leads to nowhere good.
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Namibian Sun
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