Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro
Many voters may think that next Wednesday, 27 November, which is voting day, is crucial.
It cannot be because it is and can neither be the beginning nor the end of anything. As voting is not a matter of just casting one’s vote on any given day, month, and year, like on 27th November, 2024.
For many voters, especially those who have not been blindly loyal to any political party and/or formation, particularly those who take their votes seriously, have already pledged them to any political party or formation, receiving nothing but empty promises in return.
However, even for those who have already committed and pledged their votes, it’s not too late until they enter the polling booth and place a cross in the designated space next to the party or formation of their choice. Crunch time, because if on the particular day anyone casts her/his vote absentmindedly, it can mean another five years of socio-economic bondage.
If previous elections are any indication, this situation could potentially persist for another five years. Many voters have faithfully and patriotically cast their votes, hoping for a prolonged period of socio-economic stability.
They have essentially eliminated opportunities for a brighter and more promising future. 27 November ultimately boils down to this. It’s time to make a decision on how to manage the country’s affairs for the next five years. Five years which may, for that matter, prove very crucially whether voters and Namibia as a country shall, in eternity, continue to be beholden to capitalism, and the people, forever be entrapped in poverty.
With the masses especially continuing to be condemned to the hell of exploitation, abject poverty, and total neglect.
It is thus perplexing why at all it must be a matter of just entrusting for five years the destiny of the country to what has been proven over the years since the dawn of democracy. Conversely, these years have been spent pursuing socio-economic illusions. This has been made possible by the whims of a few would-be caretakers of their socio-economic interests, who have guided them towards improvement.
A few who, for that matter, have little knowledge and/or appreciation of what the ordinary person in the street is and has been going through every day of her/his life with little respite and relief. Because if there is anything that those vying to be in charge of the affairs of the country have, it is not affinity with the people. Except for only pretending to be caring for them.
Listening to the real concerns of the people on the ground, few of the political parties, whether in their political speeches’ manifestations at their rallies, euphemistically termed “star” rallies, testifying to their real essence, jamborees, have been consequent.
With such rallies proving nothing more than picnics or bazaars, if not occasions for throwing lunch packs to the mostly hunger-ravished masses. Such rallies have served as a vital source of food rations for those who attend. As opposed to the content of the messages, all of which, despite the different political labels of the myriad political parties and/or formations, the messages of most, if not all of them, have been a repertoire of the same choir. Voters have limited options to select from.
This is despite the dire socio-economic straits that have been and are confronting the people every day of their lives. For a better part, those now vying for their votes have ordinarily been conspicuously absent and oblivious to the concerns of the people, only appearing and seemingly concerned at election time.
Elections may seem hollow and futile at times. Because more than actually ushering in change, they have been proven to just recycle pretentious politicians who enter public office without meaningfully bringing any change. With elections offering the pretentious politicians nonsensical sabbaticals in the so-called august house.
A time during which those elected have seemed more on holidays than on a serious mission to uplift the country and the people out of their socio-economic doldrums. They are being guided towards a path of socio-economic redemption by enhancing their material circumstances.
One election after another has been proving that as soon as votes are cast, the concerns of the people are quickly forgotten or discarded altogether until the next election. Calling into question the need for voting. Indeed, what use is voting if such votes do not and seem to have never, ever translated into better material conditions for the voters?
Typifying the empty promises in the election manifestos of most, if not all, political pretenders.
Should we hold the pretenders accountable? Certainly not. But the voter for, election after election, allowing political pretenders to take them for what is and has been tantamount to political joyrides and their votes for granted.
Actually citizens of Namibia do not need to wait for elections to have their material conditions improved. Nor should such an improvement, for that matter, depend on political pretenders, but rather on the citizens themselves. Every day of their lives must represent a struggle for empowerment by each and self, instead of relying on elections that year in and year out have proven elusive in terms of significantly improving their living conditions. Elections are indeed a necessary tool for change. Which, more than anything, hinges on hope that those promising changes will indeed deliver on them. But after any elections, it is consequent upon those who have demanded those who promised good to do good on their promises.
None but the voters can save themselves from the devil and the evils of misery, poverty, squalor, inequalities, and exploitation. As well as the mismanagement and misappropriation of their natural resources and fighting corruption.
Numerous elections over the years have brought about minimal changes. The more things have changed over time, the more they have remained constant. Still, there’s never been any doubt that a voter’s vote can make that crucial difference.
While voting is not a goal in and of itself, it is equally necessary to follow through with one’s vote at the end and beginning of who knows? The 2024 elections could mark the beginning of the end of an era end of an era.
