Diescho slams 'self-doubting' Kavangos
Kenya Kambowe
Rundu
Professor Joseph Diescho has described the Kavango people as suffering from self-doubt, self-pity and self-hate because they only gain confidence when given tasks by outsiders.
Diescho, who lives in Germany after a public fallout with government and Swapo leaders in Namibia, made the remarks in a widely circulated lecture piece titled ‘Understanding the troubles of Rundu Town Council’.
Hailing from the Kavango East Region, he argued that service delivery is lacking in a town such as Rundu because officials entrusted to provide services are afraid to spearhead development because they don’t want to see non-Swapo members benefit.
“Kavango people suffer a deep psychosis of inferiority complex in relation to authority and people from outside,” he wrote.
“This complex manifests itself in self-doubt, self-pity and self-hate. As a result, officials on the Rundu town council lack confidence to execute the tasks and responsibilities given to them.
“They wait for someone from Windhoek to tell them what to do. They are too afraid to take risks because they cannot read the mind of the master, whom they fear even in their sleep.
“They are also afraid that Swapo will be unhappy with them if they build facilities that might benefit those who are seen to be against Swapo.”
Response
Residents of Rundu have been deprived of effective service delivery for years because of the local council’s failure to carry out its mandate.
Rundu CEO Olavi Nathanael said he was aware of the opinion piece, but added that the council was not obliged to prove the professor wrong.
“It is his opinion and we have no obligation to prove him otherwise,” he said.
A long serving administrator in Kavango East and former administrator of the Rundu town council, Sebastian Kantema described Diescho’s statements as “stupid” and said he would not bother responding to them.
“All I can say is they are stupid ideas and I cannot drag myself into those stories.”
[email protected]
Rundu
Professor Joseph Diescho has described the Kavango people as suffering from self-doubt, self-pity and self-hate because they only gain confidence when given tasks by outsiders.
Diescho, who lives in Germany after a public fallout with government and Swapo leaders in Namibia, made the remarks in a widely circulated lecture piece titled ‘Understanding the troubles of Rundu Town Council’.
Hailing from the Kavango East Region, he argued that service delivery is lacking in a town such as Rundu because officials entrusted to provide services are afraid to spearhead development because they don’t want to see non-Swapo members benefit.
“Kavango people suffer a deep psychosis of inferiority complex in relation to authority and people from outside,” he wrote.
“This complex manifests itself in self-doubt, self-pity and self-hate. As a result, officials on the Rundu town council lack confidence to execute the tasks and responsibilities given to them.
“They wait for someone from Windhoek to tell them what to do. They are too afraid to take risks because they cannot read the mind of the master, whom they fear even in their sleep.
“They are also afraid that Swapo will be unhappy with them if they build facilities that might benefit those who are seen to be against Swapo.”
Response
Residents of Rundu have been deprived of effective service delivery for years because of the local council’s failure to carry out its mandate.
Rundu CEO Olavi Nathanael said he was aware of the opinion piece, but added that the council was not obliged to prove the professor wrong.
“It is his opinion and we have no obligation to prove him otherwise,” he said.
A long serving administrator in Kavango East and former administrator of the Rundu town council, Sebastian Kantema described Diescho’s statements as “stupid” and said he would not bother responding to them.
“All I can say is they are stupid ideas and I cannot drag myself into those stories.”
[email protected]
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