Kae Matundu-Tjiparuro
CERTAINLY it needs more than the mantra and/or slogan “business unusual” for the current administration of Namibia to rescue the country from the current stagnation quagmire.
As there is and can be no better word to encapsulate the country’s socio-economic situation currently than stagnation, if not deterioration, degeneration and regression. Nobody knows, let alone the administration’s spin doctors, analysts and economists, who can and may otherwise make the masses believe that indeed the country is better and/or shall be better served now and in the foreseeable future.
On the contrary, the red flags have, for some time now, been flickering. That the country has been heading for the doldrums unless her political stewards, indeed with the collaboration of all and sundry, not only are awakened and come to their full realisation but also become resolute and consequential to their resolve of “business unusual”.
The sooner the current administration realises this, the better. Thus enabling it to, if only arrest the current stagnation, stabilise it and eventually reverse it. Rather than engaging and continuing on the path of self-delusion, it seems to be fixated by the mantra that it is and shall no more be “business unusual”. Which is not and cannot be that easy but a tall order. Being a result, first and foremost, of the legacy of over a hundred years of colonialism and capitalist exploitation. Not to mention indeed the 35 years not of development but of the entrenchment of the very colonialist and capitalist conditions. Not of halting these debilitating conditions and steadily preparing the ground for their reversal. Cognisant and realistic of the fact, of course, that such a reversal cannot be easy. As those who are responsible for these colonial and capitalist conditions are and have been working 24/7 to ensure that these conditions and circumstances remain intact and persist. Albeit subtle and in a hidden way. So that those who think they are politically in charge of the country do not and are not awakened from the independence and freedom slumber.
But that they are hoodwinked and lulled into believing that they are indeed in charge. While in reality they have never been in charge. On the contrary, they are made by the capitalist overlords to be the overseers of the continued exploitation, giving them the belief that they are in charge. While in reality they have been levelling the playing fields for the continued plain sailing of the entrenchment of capitalist exploitation. Hence the concept of multilateralism, in reality just a euphemism for the mechanisation of capitalism. Revealing the synergy between capitalism and modern-day so-called democratic governments all over the globe. Which are nothing more than political proxies for multinationals. This is the geopolitical scene prevailing today in the world.
Needless to say, surely the Namibian administration, with none other than Her Excellency Netumbo Nandi-Ndeitwah, a seasoned diplomat of note, if not an inimitable internationalist, must be aware of the mechanisms and Machiavellianisation of capitalism and its political tool, democracy. But it takes more than just an internationalist and a seasoned diplomat to deal with the engineering of capitalism. Without being oblivious to the fact that internationalism cannot and must not be taken on its face value. However, it must be viewed in its traditional ideological context and essence. Which is about the progressive forces of the world taking note and being wise and suspicious of the devious workings of capitalism. When and where capitalism, more often than not, is depicted and proffered through and by Machiavellian means as the best and most preferred economic system. While in fact it is only good for the capitalists themselves and their hangers-on. Among them, most administrations, including those of former colonised countries, hence the concept of neocolonialism.
Namibians themselves are and may be better advised to make their pick. As to how their previous administrations fared and the current one is and is poised to be faring, besides its avowed mantra of “business unusual”. Looking not so much at what they may have achieved or not. But focusing more on an introspective review as to whatever they set out to do and to what extent they have been successful. Whatever they set out to do may not have been just another empty mantra not based on any ideology. What they may have set it against and what the prevailing contexts then were. Globalism, multilateralism, and what-have-you? All the glamorous and good-sounding political and diplomatic jargon, which ultimately does not mean anything and is couched in an ideologically meaningful sense. Or, in the final analysis, anti-ideological, or worse, a-ideological, and at the end of the day, meaningless.
Because while capitalism is ruling the world, including Namibia, and is thus the elephant in the room, not much focus has been on capitalism. Yours Truly Ideologically’s observations regarding the current administration are that, more than anything, it has just been scurrying around as if to be seen to be doing something and validate itself. But not much can be said regarding its ideological disposition.
With little discerning and deciphering if whatever it has been doing and saying has and may have been based on any reality, particularly ideologically. Is it the capitalist reality in Namibia? If this is the case, given the ideological emptiness save for its mantra of “business unusual”, it is better advised and made to realise it really has its work cut out yet.
Looking at the socio-economic realities Namibia has been facing and continues to grapple with even with her new administration. Which cannot be undone, let alone alleviated by political and administrative well-wishes and political dreams, but first and foremost by an understanding of their root cause. Which, for Yours Truly Ideologically, is Capitalist Namibia with all its manifestations. This notwithstanding, at no point have any of the country’s leaders, irrespective of their political leaning, not to mention their ideological disposition, as few have any ideological conviction, ever let alone reflected on their understanding of capitalism. Thus, the ruling Swapo Party especially needs more than whirlwind “business unusual” crisscrosses over the country. Rather than a deep-grounded ideological understanding of the cause of the country’s socio-economic ills. Plus a realisation and acceptance that they cannot be wished away but done away with. Not, for that matter, by any reforms and/or tampering with them but by uprooting them. Through a surgical ideological process that ultimately must lead to overthrowing the capitalist productive system in the country.
