Namibia has entered the familiar, feverish stretch of the political calendar known as the “silly season”, when passions run high, rhetoric grows sharp, and politicians of all stripes test the limits of what they can say to energise their supporters. Elections are, by their very nature, noisy affairs. Positions clash, words fly, and agendas jostle for prominence. In that sense, your recent remarks about wishing for an “actual shooting war” to start in Namibia, and your call for foreign intervention from U.S. president Donald Trump, may be chalked up by some as campaign theatrics.
But even in the silly season, Honourable Swartbooi, a line must be drawn.
We are directing this editorial to you in particular because, unlike many who simply shout into microphones during elections, you have built a reputation, deservedly so, as one of the most compelling, articulate and intellectually rigorous public figures in modern Namibian politics. Your presence in the National Assembly has, without question, elevated the quality of debate. You prepare, you read, you research, you analyse, and you speak with conviction and clarity. In a chamber that too often suffers from grandstanding or superficial exchanges, your interventions are frequently the ones that force others to sit up and pay attention. That is something the country notices and something the country needs.
It is not an exaggeration to say that your voice, perhaps more than any other from the opposition benches, has helped sharpen national discourse. You have taken a political movement that began with very little, built it from the ground up, and transformed it into a party with a clear identity, loyal supporters, and an increasingly persuasive message. That is an accomplishment that should not be taken lightly. Many talk about grassroots politics; few actually do the backbreaking, often thankless work of building structures, sustaining momentum, and offering people a genuine vehicle for their frustrations and aspirations. You did that. Namibians across the political spectrum can acknowledge the discipline and determination behind such an achievement.
Precisely because of that, your latest remarks feel not only jarring but also profoundly out of character for the man many Namibians have come to know.
To speak of wanting an “actual shooting war” to start in a peaceful country, one whose stability is still the envy of much of the continent, is not a trivial matter. Namibia is not a nation untouched by the trauma of conflict. Many of our citizens still carry memories, physical and emotional, of the liberation struggle. Families were torn apart. Communities were displaced. Lives were lost, and futures altered forever. Peace was not inherited; it was earned. And it remains fragile, not because we stand on the brink of war, but because peace anywhere requires vigilance, restraint, and responsible leadership.
Words invoking war, civil conflict, or foreign intervention cannot be tossed into public discourse as though they were interchangeable with campaign slogans. They reverberate differently. They plant seeds. They stoke anxieties. They risk giving legitimacy to fringe groups or reckless actors. And, unfortunately, they can be taken literally by people who may not understand that you were speaking in the realm of metaphor or hyperbole.
Yes, election season invites drama. But Namibia is not a stage play, and its people are not props in a spectacle of soundbites.
Furthermore, your suggestion that the Landless People’s Movement might seek “unlimited intervention” from Donald Trump to protect citizens from alleged “occupational forces” is a statement that veers sharply away from the level-headed, constitutionalist politician you have historically been. Namibia has serious political disagreements, unquestionably. The South has long-standing grievances, undeniably. But to equate Namibian political tensions with conditions requiring foreign intervention, let alone from a figure whose own political legacy remains highly divisive even within his own country, is both an exaggeration and a misstep.
It is also worth reflection that your own influence is such that even your most provocative words are not easily dismissed. A lesser politician might utter the same lines and be treated with indulgent shrugs. But you have built a movement, commanded national attention, and positioned yourself as a major voice in this election. That confers responsibility. It means that when you speak, the country listens, including those who may interpret your rhetoric as a call to hostility or as confirmation of conspiratorial fears.
It is therefore simply not enough to claim, as some of your supporters have, that these are “just words”. Words shape narratives. Narratives shape perceptions. And perceptions, at their worst, can shape behaviour.
The Windhoek Observer does not question your patriotism. On the contrary, your decades of public service, including the difficult chapter during which you left government on principle, have shown your commitment to the Namibian people. You have fought for land reform, regional equity, and accountability with unyielding energy. You have been one of the few political leaders willing to confront uncomfortable truths about inequality and marginalisation. Those battles matter.
But we urge you, Honourable Swartbooi, to remember that leadership is not only about challenging the powerful; it is also about controlling the narrative you author. You have carved out a political identity that is bold, fearless, and uncompromising, but never reckless. When you allow your rhetoric to drift into the language of war and foreign rescue, you risk undermining the very credibility you have spent years building.
Namibia needs powerful voices. It needs sharp debate, principled defiance, and leaders who refuse to be cowed. But it also needs those same leaders to protect, not endanger, the spirit of peace and stability that underpins our democracy.
There is still time, in this restless season, to recalibrate. To clarify. To lead with the strength you are known for, and not with the provocations that may feel momentarily satisfying but ultimately harm our national fabric.
Honourable Swartbooi, the country is listening. Choose your words with the weight they deserve.
