Kae Mathundu Tjiparuro
“The critical needs of the working class can only be fulfilled in a socialist Namibia,” wrote members of the Marxist Group of Namibia last Friday in a piece in the Namibian newspapers headlined: “The End of Swapo?”
What a befitting parting shot to wind up the year with. But all same this is a wake up call for those genuinely aspiring towards a meaningful radical socio-economic transformation, not be lured into a false sense of hope and expectation that Socialism in Namibia shall be delivered on a sliver plate, and sooner rather than later.
On the contrary, given the years of independence, during which socialist ideals where swept under the carpet, we are in for a long haul in realising Socialism in Namibia eventually. That is why during this festive season those socialist-inspired cannot afford to go and rest on their laurels. Because being what it is ideologically, the opium of the masses, the festive season, like its progenitor, the ideology of Christianity, an integral part of the broader ideology of Capitalism.
Thus rather than retreating in the laager of decadence called Christmas, this message by the Marxist Group of Namibia is instead and indeed a clarion call for all, inspired by the ideology of Marxist-Leninism, to start rallying behind the historic mission of all the oppressed and exploited people of Namibia. This being delivering the working class from the yoke of Capitalism, to eventually establish a socialist Namibia. But when? This is a very pertinent question. It is now or never to ride on the obvious wind of change within the country as evidenced by the results in this year’s Regional and Local Authority elections. But Yours Truly ideologically is cautious to jump to conclusion that these results necessarily epitomise and embody disgust and/or disillusionment with the Swapo Party of Namibia. If this may only be superficially so and not necessarily ideologically the case. Because whether one would want to admit it or not, the Swapo Party of Namibia is one of the foremost vanguards of the Namibian Revolut
ion. Granted that it may have been infiltrated and misguided by unscrupulous opportunistic elements. But it’s historical significance as one of the vanguards of the Namibian Revolution cannot all of a sudden be wished away, erased or downplayed with the results of but only one or two elections. Those who must be driving the Namibian Revolution now towards the Second Phase, that is a radical socio-economic transformation, and eventually towards a socialist Namibia, must be careful to be naively elusive, if not self delusional about the expiry and/or demise of the historic vanguards movements, like Swanu and Swapo. Conscious of the fact that historically, and even now, that important and significant elements of the Namibian Revolution, the oppressed and exploited, that is the working class of Namibia, including the peasants/farmers, still belong to and are and shall for the foreseeable future continue to be loyal members and supporters of these vanguard movements.
Thus, one cannot dismiss these vanguards movements outright as spent forces. Safe to admit that indeed along the way their leaderships, coopted in the comprador Capitalist realm, have misguided and betrayed the Revolution. The challenge now, which certainly needs a cautious and well thought out strategy, is whether one must re-educate and re-conscientise and inculcate in the mass supporters of these vanguard parties, and likewise the entire working class of the country, and their allies, the ideology of Marxist-Leninism, and Socialism. Ridding these vanguard parties of their ideologically renegade, retrogressive and opportunistic elements in their leaderships at the same time.
Admittedly socialist inspired and inclined elements in Namibia today are few and far in between. Even among the newcomer political parties true socialist are hard to find. Not to mention the fact that already tremendous ground have already been lost during the 30 years plus of Namibian independence, in terms of laying the necessary foundation for a socialist transformation by first educating the masses in the Marxist-Leninist Ideology, and an socialist socio-economic order.
Given this socialist ideological backlog, the true reflective realisation that the critical needs of the working class can only be fulfilled in a socialist Namibia, must be embraced by all socialist-oriented forces within Namibia with the realism that the road to Socialism is still a long and hard one. Not because Capitalism is invincible but because the forces of Capitalism, are working 24 hours seven days. Not only to further entrench this exploitative system but to also preserve it. In this they are not alone but have also enlisted those who should have been on the side of the working class. Most instructively these forces of retrogression and opportunism are working in unison with a sense of purpose. Which is not the case with the working class and their allies. This surely as Yours Truly ideologically has been pointing out time and again, necessitates an ideological paradigm shift and reawakening within the whole country, among all the socialist inspired and inclined strata of society, and hard work. For
emost they must rally together. Up to now one has never seen in Namibia the socialist forces rising up and moving forward with a sense of purpose towards the realisation one day, and sooner than later, of a socialist Namibia. The clarion call must be Socialism Now!
