By Elezo Libanda
Makanga Village, 20 December 2024 – As Namibia’s general elections have concluded and elected politicians prepare to take their oaths as members of parliament, questions are being raised about the nature of political office: Is being a politician a job or a calling?
While politicians will soon take their seats in the National Assembly, their new roles come with significant costs to taxpayers. Members of parliament receive high salaries, and in addition to this, they are entitled to various allowances, including furniture, cellphone, and airtime allowances. Politicians also enjoy VIP status, which often distances them from the very electorate they are meant to serve. In some cases, their privileged status has led to concerns about the misuse of power and a disconnect between politicians and the people who put them in office.
The VIP treatment of politicians has created a noticeable divide between them and the public, undermining the idea that politicians are public servants. In many instances, members of the National Assembly, regional, and local authority councilors are only accessible through formal appointments, which can take a long time to process, even when urgent community issues require attention. The power dynamics seem to have shifted, with politicians often behaving more like bosses rather than the servants of the electorate.
The lack of accountability in the current political system has led many to call for laws that would allow voters to recall or fire politicians for poor performance. However, the existing legal framework makes it difficult to remove politicians based on their service delivery record, corruption, or other reasons. As a result, voters are often stuck with underperforming representatives for the full term of office. In some cases, politicians are re-elected despite their poor performance because voters tend to choose candidates based on party affiliation rather than individual merit.
In other countries, the requirements for holding political office are more stringent. Candidates are often scrutinized for their educational qualifications and financial standing to ensure that they are not involved in corrupt practices or using their position to enrich themselves. In Namibia, however, some politicians have been accused of accumulating wealth that they cannot explain, raising concerns about transparency and the potential for corruption.
As Namibia heads toward its next round of elections—this time for regional and local authority offices—citizens will have to decide whether to vote for candidates who are more interested in enjoying VIP status or those who are genuinely committed to improving the living standards of the Namibian people.
The Electoral Act of 1992 stipulates that candidates running on a party ticket are sponsored by political parties. This system has raised concerns because parties often re-elect or promote underperforming politicians as long as they remain loyal to the party line. This practice limits voters’ ability to hold their representatives accountable for their performance.
For Namibia to achieve the development it needs, the electorate must begin to vote based on the actual performance of candidates, rather than party loyalty. In Zambezi Region, for instance, three independent regional constituency councilors, one from the IPC, and four from the ruling SWAPO party are currently serving, each with their own approach to governance.
The choice in the upcoming elections is clear: will Namibians vote for those seeking political office for personal gain, or for those who are truly dedicated to serving the people? -Namibia Daily News
