Gillian Kalf
Is the silence across the country two months away from elections a sign of voter disengagement in local politics?
The loud silence says a lot about our democracy and enforcing our decentralisation efforts in our governance and body politics of the nation. Last year this time, the nation’s political landscape was a hive of activity. From political leaders outlining visions for the future to citizens passionately debating succession, the country was alive with political discourse.
What is the silence all about then? Stakeholders – political parties, civil society organisations, the electorate and, most importantly, the politicians. The Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) announced supplementary registration of voters to run for two weeks, 4-19 August 2025. But this announcement alone is not sufficient to get citizens to register for voting or participate in the upcoming elections.
Where are the information sessions and political engagements organised by civil society organisations?
Where are the clarion calls and messages of encouragement from politicians?
As a young and growing democracy, are we serious about achieving a consolidated democracy where governance is felt and understood in all facets of our country?
Just last year we were “crying” about youth voter apathy and citizens’ disengagement from politics, especially since voting serves as a primary step to participatory democracy and accountability of political office bearers. Namibia has, after independence, adopted decentralisation as a state policy, and the vision is that governance and political decision-making be felt at the grassroots level. We cannot expect high voter turnout if there are little to no efforts in political mobilisation and awareness created for the citizens.
Safeguarding local governance is paramount, as it serves as the foundation for direct and immediate provision of essential services. By encouraging citizen participation in local authority and regional elections. A high turnout not only holds our leaders accountable but also helps voters better understand the crucial roles of municipalities, town councils, and regional councils. By reinforcing our commitment to local governance, there can be proper dispersal of power throughout our political system. We can move closer to achieving the vision of the 1998 decentralisation policy of inclusive and grassroots decision-making. Furthermore, the active participation of citizens in democratic processes will help improve the capacity of regional and local governments to build an effective institutional framework that promotes sustainable development, thereby strengthening the three-tier system of government in Namibia. In a chapter by Gerhard Totemeyer on Decentralisation and State-building at the Local Level, decentralisation entails a process of dividing and distributing authority, power and responsibility for programmes and policy implementation to subunits, as well as reassigning decision-making responsibilities to lower governmental units on a geographical basis. Considering that Namibia’s decentralisation is still in its infancy stages, continuous empowerment of the masses is crucial to help the electorate realise the significance of local governance. We are not able to achieve effective governance if the local structures do not serve as a receptive apparatus to tackle the needs of residents. Additionally, we can’t expect governance at the national level to function optimally if local participatory democracy is sidelined where citizens ought to choose their representatives and be fully engaged in the decisions of their local authorities.
In conclusion, political parties should move beyond national-level political rhetoric and focus on “bread and butter” issues that directly affect communities. This includes water and sanitation, housing, and infrastructure maintenance. Civil society organisations should go beyond basic registration information to facilitate programmes that educate citizens on the specific functions of regional and local councils and how these bodies impact their daily lives. As key conduits between the political office bearers and the citizens, CSOs ought to fill the information vacuum during these local authority elections.
