PAUL T. SHIPALE (with inputs by Folito Nghitongovali Diawara Gaspar)
In a defining address that has recalibrated the nation’s governance priorities, President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah declared the era of excuses over. Opening the new judicial year, she delivered a stark verdict on public service, saying there is no room for failure. This was not merely a speech; it was a strategic blueprint, positioning a strong legal framework and an efficient judiciary as the indispensable engines of national performance.
The timing could not be more critical. With magistrates grappling with caseloads of up to 63 cases simultaneously, public trust is under strain. The President’s prescription is clear: “Where the law stands firm, the nation will stand strong.” Law is elevated from a passive instrument to the backbone of democracy, a binding code that transforms political promises into measurable outcomes for citizens.
The judiciary: pressure point and priority
The courts’ staggering workload is no longer an abstract problem; it is a direct threat to timely justice delivery and social stability. While acknowledging resource constraints, the Chief Justice, His Lordship Peter Shivute, has called for actionable solutions. In response, President Nandi-Ndaitwah reaffirmed the executive’s unwavering support for judicial independence, insisting that judges and magistrates must deliver justice “efficiently, consistently, and transparently.”
This commitment now establishes a clear benchmark. The public will measure government performance against one unmistakable metric: reduction of case backlogs and accelerated delivery of justice.
Changing the game: from low-performance to high-accountability
The President’s address employed a strategic lens, diagnosing bureaucratic delays and inefficiencies as a predictable, low-performance equilibrium. Breaking this cycle, the President argued, requires a fundamental shift in incentives.
Elections may reset the political clock periodically, but the rules of the game are continuous:
• Reward results and effective management.
• Hold accountable those who fail to deliver.
• Increase transparency to empower citizens and build trust.
Under this framework, lawmakers, magistrates, and civil servants become strategic actors in a cooperative system where inefficiency carries high costs. Active citizen oversight transforms consistent performance from aspiration to imperative.
A new mandate for parliament: from promise to delivery
For newly inducted Members of Parliament, the mandate is unambiguous. Parliament is not a forum for debate alone; it is the guardian of the Constitution and the engine of legislative transformation. Electoral promises are now “credible commitments”, subject to public audit.
“Governance is no longer about procedure alone,” the President emphasised. “It is about results, integrity, and consistency.” Namibia’s democratic legitimacy is now explicitly tied to measurable performance across all institutions.
The only winning strategy
The closing argument was unambiguous; the cost of failure is catastrophic with eroded public trust, weakened democracy, and entrenched stagnation. President Nandi-Ndaitwah’s message crystallises a national turning point.
The path forward is singular and non-negotiable: robust laws, an independent and efficient judiciary, vigilant citizens, and performance-driven governance. This is Namibia’s only winning strategy.
As the President concluded, she said, “A strong legal framework. An independent judiciary. Parliamentarians who legislate with purpose. Citizens who demand excellence. This is the game Namibia must play. In this game, failure is not an option; only victory through justice, performance, and trust.”
Echoing the founding father Sam Nujoma’s vision of the nation, the President reminded us: “A nation that respects its courts respects its people.”
The nation now watches, expectations sharpened, ready to hold every branch of government accountable to this new, performance-based compact. The tone is set, and all machinery is oiled and in place. Now, once again, it is time to hit the ground running!
Disclaimer: The opinions expressed here do not necessarily reflect those of our employers or this newspaper but are solely our personal views as citizens and pan-Africanists.
