Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro
Stumbling on a quote by the first Zambian vice president at independence in 1964, Yours Truly Ideologically could not but reflect deeply on it, especially its reference to the much-sought-after investment by Southern African countries, let alone Namibia.
“If we don’t handle our independence very well, colonisers will come back in the form of investors.” Ex-Zambian Vice President Simon Kapwepwe is quoted as having once said. It looks like independence did not need to have gone wrong, the late Kapwepwe, for the colonisers to come back. If they ever left. But more than anything, independence opened the floodgates for the colonisers.
Instead, turning the tables of liberation and independence and riding on the opportunism of many a would-be liberator of Africa. Riding on the African opportunistic belief in anything white and/or Caucasian and from the West and/or colonising and exploiting countries and their investors as nothing else but good, if not the best, for Africa. A trap that Namibia also seems, since independence, to have been increasingly falling into. Perhaps taking a leaf from other African countries which gained independence before her.
Swapo indeed learnt from fellow liberation movements as per their summits, the latest this year last month in South Africa. Which has been hailed as out of tradition. In the sense that for the first time it was not about self-glorification and nostalgic solidarity but about soul-searching. A recalibration born out of electoral winds of change. Against Swapo and its fellow former liberation movements. That have become used to recurrent clean sweeps in elections, forgetting that the tide may one day turn against them. In fact, most, if not all, of these liberation movements have been struggling to metamorphose into fully fledged political parties and, to a greater degree still, see themselves more as guerrilla fighters than state apparatuses governing would-be democratic polities.
As a resultant lately, but which has been long coming, they have recently variedly been finding themselves in Intensive Care Units (ICUs). While one, which for that matter strictly could not qualify as a former liberation movement, actually did not make it out of the ICU.
Election results for the past decade have been showing a gradual decline of four of the six liberation parties in Southern Africa: the ANC has declined from 62.15% in 2014 to 40.18% in 2024; the MPLA has declined from 71.85% in 2012 to 51.17% in 2022; SWAPO has declined from 80.01% in 2014 to 53.38% in 2024; and ZANU-PF has declined from 63.16% in 2013 to 56.18% in 2023. The writing on the wall for them is and has been becoming clear. Thus necessitating this year’s summit to be out of fashion and its usual character and “business unusual”.
“Many of Africa’s liberation movements (LMs) have strayed from their founding mission to serve the people… Some of these parties have become disconnected from the public and resistant to criticism. It is crucial that we recognise that in many of our countries we witnessed the weakening of democratic institutions.” This message, by the keynote speaker at the Summit, former Mozambican President Joachim Chissano, could not have been louder and clearer. Indeed, that is if this reality had not already dawned on the Summit’s delegates and their movements-cum-political parties. But this one doubts the theme of the Summit: Defending the Liberation Gain, Advancing Integrated Socio-Economic Development; Strengthening Solidarity for a Better Africa.
Despite the summit being painted by some observers and analysts as a departure from previous ones, with the parties making an introspection, this theme in itself does not inspire a rethinking. In the first instance, are there any tangible and visible gains from the liberation of all, let alone some and most of these countries? Yours Truly Ideologically is not convinced at all. That there has been any warranting defending. Equally, the aura of camaraderie, if not nostalgia, is evident in the theme, not speaking to a determined introspection, a resultant break from and with the past and a forward-looking outlook. It looks like for a real renewal, recommitment, reform and redraw to take place, it may take more than just one summit. Not only this but also a complete paradigm shift. Especially given the apparent and self-righteous sense of entitlement many, if not all, of these liberation movements have been harbouring. That because of their contributions to the liberation struggles, they are entitled, destined and divined to rule their countries. Not forgetting that indeed it is the voters who have been returning these parties, year after year, to office and keeping them there. A will of the people, yes, but not a sober one, as it may and should. With the people intoxicated, if not intoxicated, more than anything else, by a sense of entitlement by those who have been in power. Not so much to improve their lot, but simply, as it has been proven, year after year, simply just to crowd these offices.
It is interesting that these parties’ much-avowed unity and solidarity do not begin at home, as charity should, but are only exported and trumpeted at platforms such as the Summit. While other democratic stakeholders and patriots at home are at best only considered as a matter of political convenience and expediency, and at worst as enemies.
“It is imperative,” Swapo’s President, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, was quoted as saying, “that the sister parties—ANC, MPLA, FRELIMO, ZANU-PF, SWAPO, and CCM—advance regional collaboration so as to ensure that their collective efforts serve the true interests of the people. The SWAPO Party stands steadfast in our commitment to the enduring principle of international solidarity that has sustained the historic struggles of Southern Africa’s liberation movements. It is indeed our resolve to deepen this sacred sisterhood, bound by blood, to counter the rising forces of right-wing racism, neo-colonialism, economic exploitation, and economic blocs that threaten our very sovereignty and progress.” Yours Truly Ideologically wonders if Her Excellency shall ever espouse the same solidarity vigour towards her own country’s political parties?
Zimbabwean President and Zanu-PF First Secretary, Emmerson Mnangagwa, urged liberation parties to remain true to their founding principles, emphasising that the future of African prosperity lies with revolutionary movements rooted in the will of the people. A sentiment echoed by many of his fellow leaders. Again Yours Truly Ideologically cannot help but reflect deeply on what the founding principles the Zimbabwean president was and is referring to are, and if they are the ones still having the liberation movements seeming to be glued together? Other than power hungriness? Not to mention the fact that the ideology they all may have espoused, and which may have kept them together, if any of them still believe in it? Despite the pretence of still seemingly being allied to countries like Russia and China. Is freeing African economies from neocolonial control and manipulation what today unites these liberation-cum-political movements? After that, then what if view of their apparent ideological ambiguity and ambivalence? And how different would Russian and/or Chinese capital be from capitalism? Could the Russians and Chinese not just be colonisers, ala Kapwepwe, or the new colonisers if you wish?
