Anticipating a new Namibia

Much has been said about the Swapo succession race but one element that has so far not come out in this debate is what policy shift the country could experience from 2015 onward.

Apart from ‘first woman president and non-Oshiwambo president’ rhetoric, nobody has really stepped forward to tell us what the hopefuls have in their minds in terms of ideologies and policies.

Saying this, we are cognizant of the fact that the 2014 elections will have contenders from the opposition but we will not dwell on those for obvious reasons. It is unlikely that we will see new presidential candidates from the opposition in 2014 apart from those that we have seen and written about in the past.

Unless a miracle happens to the country’s opposition fraternity, we will still see Katuutire Kaura, Ben Ulenga, Hidipo Hamutenya and Kuaima Riruako contesting as presidential candidates for the DTA, CoD, RDP and Nudo respectively.

Of interest for now is the fact that Swapo will inevitably give the nation a new face as its representative in those elections. So far, the race in 2014 has unveiled contenders in the persons of Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana and Dr Hage Geingob, but those that have nominated them are yet to tell us what changes we are likely to see under their presidencies in terms of policies and ideologies.

What will a Namibia under Geingob’s leadership be like? Left or right-wing? Liberal or conservative?

Of course no individual can be expected to furnish us with answers to these questions because, contrary to talk that Geingob was nominated by President Hifikepunye Pohamba, the truth is that he had automatically qualified to stand as an incumbent gunning for re-election and therefore did not need to be nominated.

If he was nominated, we would ask whoever nominated him to give the nation an overview of what a Geingob-led Namibia would be like. We are sure the positive attributes of this man are plenty but what are they?

In the case of Iivula-Ithana, both Utoni Nujoma, who nominated her, and Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila who seconded the nomination must come forth and tell the nation about their nominee’s skills and policy agendas.

Will Iivula-Ithana effect radical changes in terms of wealth distribution in this country? Will she end exploitation of workers by capitalist, profit-driven employers or is corruption likely to rear its ugly head under her regime?

All these are questions that need to be addressed in time before the Swapo Congress starts in November.