Election season is upon us once again. This is what will mark the familiar campaign: across the country, the familiar rhythms of political life are playing out, campaign posters springing up on every lamppost, rallies drawing crowds with promises and pageantry, and political hopefuls crisscrossing constituencies in a last-minute bid to win favour. The Swapo party was first out of the block and has officially launched its campaign, and it will soon be followed by others, all eager to convince voters that they hold the answers to our problems.
Yet beyond the slogans, the music, and the promises, some more outrageous than others, lies a much more sobering reality: the dire condition of our towns, villages, and regions. From crumbling infrastructure and dry taps to joblessness, growing informal settlements, and weak service delivery, it is clear that many of our localities are in distress.
The blame for this cannot be laid solely at the feet of central government or “outsiders”. The harsh truth is this: many of the failures we see in our communities are a direct result of poor local leadership. And many of those now asking for your vote, again, are the same individuals who have presided over years of stagnation, decay, and neglect.
It is therefore time, as citizens and voters, to take local elections seriously. As the saying goes, all politics is local. What happens in your town council chambers or regional council offices often has a more immediate and direct impact on your life than what is debated in Parliament or at State House.
The pothole you hit on your way to work? That’s local government. The garbage that goes uncollected for weeks? That’s local government. The broken streetlights, the overgrown parks, the malfunctioning sewerage systems, and the housing backlogs are all symptoms of local failure. And yet, we continue to treat local elections as less important, less urgent, and less worthy of our attention than national ones.
This must change.
Too often, our vote is cast based on party loyalty, struggle history, or empty promises delivered on podiums with loudspeakers. Too often, we allow politicians to distract us with cheap talk and political theatre, name-calling, smear campaigns, and tribal undertones, instead of holding them accountable for their record.
Here’s a reality check: the municipality doesn’t care which party you voted for when your tap runs dry. The town council doesn’t differentiate between supporters and detractors when sewage runs in the streets. The effects of bad leadership are universal, and they are being felt acutely across the country.
So, what can we do? First, we must become informed voters. This means asking the tough questions: What is your candidate’s track record? What do they know about governance, budgeting, or town planning? Have they been present and active in the community, or are they only visible during elections? Do they have a clear, realistic, and costed plan for improving your town or village, or just slogans and vague promises?
Secondly, we must shift the focus away from personalities and party colours and toward performance and accountability. Voting for someone simply because they belong to a particular party, without interrogating their competence or their intentions, is a recipe for continued failure.
We must also begin to appreciate that governance is a skill, one that requires training, knowledge, and commitment. It is not enough for a candidate to be popular, loud, or connected. Can they read and interpret a budget? Do they understand procurement rules? Will they stand up to corruption, even when it comes from within their own party or circle?
These are the real tests of leadership.
The time has come for a new generation of local leaders: men and women who are rooted in their communities, who are driven not by self-enrichment but by service, and who are willing to do the hard, often thankless work of fixing what is broken.
It is also time for citizens to remain engaged beyond election day. Voting is just the beginning. After the ballots are counted and the speeches have ended, the real work begins: holding elected leaders to account, attending community meetings, demanding transparency, and insisting on delivery.
We must break the cycle of silence and apathy. For too long, local councils have operated in obscurity, shielded by our own disinterest. This has allowed mismanagement, nepotism, and outright theft to flourish unchecked. That era must end.
And to the politicians who are vying for office: the days of empty promises are over. If you have nothing new to offer, if you have no plan, no integrity, and no courage, then step aside. The people are watching, and the people deserve better.
Our towns, villages, and regions are not lost causes. They can be revived. With the right leadership, we can turn things around. We can restore dignity to our communities, improve basic services, create jobs, and ensure that local government is responsive, transparent, and effective.
But it all starts with the vote.
So, come election day, remember what’s at stake. Forget the noise, the theatrics, and the freebies. Look around your community. Ask yourself: are you better off than you were five years ago? Has your councillor earned your vote or simply asked for it?
Choose wisely. Because when the speeches end and the posters come down, it is you, the voter, who will live with the consequences.
All politics is local. Let’s treat it that way.
