Winners and losers of 2020
These conclusions about winners and losers of the year 2020 were solicited externally from governance experts, political analysts and commentators, academics and policy researchers who were asked to list persons in these two categories as they deemed fit.
• Winners
Yvonne Dausab,
Minister of Justice
Dausab emerged as government's most effective communicator on the Covid-19 pandemic; explaining clearly the requirements that citizens need to follow while also fully cognisant of the human rights implications. She also stood up for human rights at key points during 2020, e.g. in the middle of the #ShutItAllDown protests (when protesters were under attack from the police and others preferred to remain quiet).
Martha Imalwa,
Prosecutor-General
So far, and perhaps against expectations, she has shown that she is serious about the Fishrot investigation. We are still awaiting some key arrests, but in 2020 her office showed a level of professionalism that is necessary in the fight against corruption. It is also encouraging that she is going after the Icelandic suspects.
#ShutItAllDown movement
This youth-driven protest movement showed the power that young people can wield in pressing for positive social change. They were consistent and relentless at a time when the authorities thought they would melt away. May the force be with them!
Paulus Mbangu, independent councillor for Rundu
Rural constituency
The Swapo Party Youth League protégé made history by becoming the first independent candidate in the National Council.
Mbangu is a go-getter and a positive-opportunist who seized the Swapo regional leadership's ignorance (if not arrogance) of fielding former councillor Sitaura Sikongo as a candidate, as he never delivered as per the electorate's expectations for the past 15 years he was in charge, let alone his gender-based violence case that is still on the court roll. Many haven't given Mbangu any chance to win considering the strong loyalty to Swapo among the Rundu Rural constituency residents.
Ranga Haikali, NFA president
Haikali won the NFA presidency against Johnny Doeseb hands down. He lost similar NFA elections thrice in the past and 2020 was a special year for him and his backing group, the Progressive Force (PF). Haikali hit the ground running immediately after the NFA congress by capitalising on the support of FIFA and it seems he recently won the support of the Namibia Sports ommission and the line ministry. Under his leadership, the NFA expelled the rebel Namibia Premier League membership and its entire leadership, appointed the secretary-general (Franco Cosmos), technical director (Jacqueline Shipanga) and director of football (Mabos Vries), and established the Namibia Premier Football League. Football must just start to complete his winning formula.
Non-healthcare essential workers
The cashiers, the petrol attendants, the cleaners, the truck drivers (!!!), the taxi drivers, the security guards who have now become temperature-takers and hand-sanitisers. The people who kept the country moving even when everything was shut down, even at the risk of their own health. The ones who often earn meagre salaries but keep the world turning.
• Losers
Sophia Shaningwa,
Swapo secretary-general
She has the knack of scoring own goals again and again and has clearly become a liability for the ruling party. Her inappropriate comments - such as “we have all the money” and “hammer the insect” - have become gifts for the opposition but also show that she is no democrat. If Swapo is to bounce back she needs to be out of the picture.
Ciske Smith-Howard, IPC regional councillor
for Swakopmund
Yes, she may have won a regional council seat but her cranky extreme right-wing views (she fan-worships Donald Trump and Steve Hofmeyr and calls the racial justice movement BLM a mob) point to the faultlines and ideological muddiness at the heart of the IPC. What a strange amalgam of the racist alt-right, Team Swapo bittereinders, and anybody else who might be disgruntled for any reason.
Dr Alfredo Hengari,
presidential press secretary
Hengari widened the cracks of division between the Office of the President and the local press. His job is exactly the opposite; to enhance relations between the two parties. His combative, acrimonious style of dealing with the media makes him a loser – perhaps a sour one.
The last straw was when he told the nation that demonstrations by citizens against the perpetual killings of Namibians by the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) were pointless and misplaced.
Doreen Sioka, gender minister
The fact that she is still in her post is another demonstration of the stubbornness at the core of Swapo that may well lead to the party's eventual undoing. We've known she's not fit for that position for years - #ShutItAllDown just brought it all into focus. She remained a spectator amid the challenge of GBV and she instead ducked her responsibility to call for a multi-sectoral approach.
Loide Kasingo,
deputy Speaker of National Assembly
No one could expect her to struggle, especially in her second term. The deputy Speaker of the National Assembly failed to take the experience and exposure she had gained for the past six years in this position into good use. She resembles the old school prefects who relied on authority rather than the standing rules and orders.
She makes Prof Katjavivi to look good despite his serious shortcomings. Kasingo spent the whole 2020 shouting and intimidating members in the august House. Perhaps one should blame the lukewarm atmosphere in the sixth National Assembly. She is really taking forever to learn.
Yvonne Dausab,
Minister of Justice
Dausab emerged as government's most effective communicator on the Covid-19 pandemic; explaining clearly the requirements that citizens need to follow while also fully cognisant of the human rights implications. She also stood up for human rights at key points during 2020, e.g. in the middle of the #ShutItAllDown protests (when protesters were under attack from the police and others preferred to remain quiet).
Martha Imalwa,
Prosecutor-General
So far, and perhaps against expectations, she has shown that she is serious about the Fishrot investigation. We are still awaiting some key arrests, but in 2020 her office showed a level of professionalism that is necessary in the fight against corruption. It is also encouraging that she is going after the Icelandic suspects.
#ShutItAllDown movement
This youth-driven protest movement showed the power that young people can wield in pressing for positive social change. They were consistent and relentless at a time when the authorities thought they would melt away. May the force be with them!
Paulus Mbangu, independent councillor for Rundu
Rural constituency
The Swapo Party Youth League protégé made history by becoming the first independent candidate in the National Council.
Mbangu is a go-getter and a positive-opportunist who seized the Swapo regional leadership's ignorance (if not arrogance) of fielding former councillor Sitaura Sikongo as a candidate, as he never delivered as per the electorate's expectations for the past 15 years he was in charge, let alone his gender-based violence case that is still on the court roll. Many haven't given Mbangu any chance to win considering the strong loyalty to Swapo among the Rundu Rural constituency residents.
Ranga Haikali, NFA president
Haikali won the NFA presidency against Johnny Doeseb hands down. He lost similar NFA elections thrice in the past and 2020 was a special year for him and his backing group, the Progressive Force (PF). Haikali hit the ground running immediately after the NFA congress by capitalising on the support of FIFA and it seems he recently won the support of the Namibia Sports ommission and the line ministry. Under his leadership, the NFA expelled the rebel Namibia Premier League membership and its entire leadership, appointed the secretary-general (Franco Cosmos), technical director (Jacqueline Shipanga) and director of football (Mabos Vries), and established the Namibia Premier Football League. Football must just start to complete his winning formula.
Non-healthcare essential workers
The cashiers, the petrol attendants, the cleaners, the truck drivers (!!!), the taxi drivers, the security guards who have now become temperature-takers and hand-sanitisers. The people who kept the country moving even when everything was shut down, even at the risk of their own health. The ones who often earn meagre salaries but keep the world turning.
• Losers
Sophia Shaningwa,
Swapo secretary-general
She has the knack of scoring own goals again and again and has clearly become a liability for the ruling party. Her inappropriate comments - such as “we have all the money” and “hammer the insect” - have become gifts for the opposition but also show that she is no democrat. If Swapo is to bounce back she needs to be out of the picture.
Ciske Smith-Howard, IPC regional councillor
for Swakopmund
Yes, she may have won a regional council seat but her cranky extreme right-wing views (she fan-worships Donald Trump and Steve Hofmeyr and calls the racial justice movement BLM a mob) point to the faultlines and ideological muddiness at the heart of the IPC. What a strange amalgam of the racist alt-right, Team Swapo bittereinders, and anybody else who might be disgruntled for any reason.
Dr Alfredo Hengari,
presidential press secretary
Hengari widened the cracks of division between the Office of the President and the local press. His job is exactly the opposite; to enhance relations between the two parties. His combative, acrimonious style of dealing with the media makes him a loser – perhaps a sour one.
The last straw was when he told the nation that demonstrations by citizens against the perpetual killings of Namibians by the Botswana Defence Force (BDF) were pointless and misplaced.
Doreen Sioka, gender minister
The fact that she is still in her post is another demonstration of the stubbornness at the core of Swapo that may well lead to the party's eventual undoing. We've known she's not fit for that position for years - #ShutItAllDown just brought it all into focus. She remained a spectator amid the challenge of GBV and she instead ducked her responsibility to call for a multi-sectoral approach.
Loide Kasingo,
deputy Speaker of National Assembly
No one could expect her to struggle, especially in her second term. The deputy Speaker of the National Assembly failed to take the experience and exposure she had gained for the past six years in this position into good use. She resembles the old school prefects who relied on authority rather than the standing rules and orders.
She makes Prof Katjavivi to look good despite his serious shortcomings. Kasingo spent the whole 2020 shouting and intimidating members in the august House. Perhaps one should blame the lukewarm atmosphere in the sixth National Assembly. She is really taking forever to learn.
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