EDITORIAL: Itula and NBC must resolve their conflict

Yesterday, Dr Panduleni Itula told NBC that neither he nor his Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) party will be available for any engagement with the national broadcaster. In a text message seen by Namibian Sun, Itula did not explain his reasons for this rather worrying hard-line stance. It is also worth noting that we have no full background on the impasse currently brewing between the two sides.

For far too long, Itula has been bombarded with the accusation that he consistently displayed autocratic tendencies. Many of those who have left the party since its formation have spewed the same accusation, which of course has often been dismissed by IPC.

NBC are no angels. No media house is.

But the targeted ban by IPC is a curious case. Do they feel wronged by the NBC during this election period, and now they are repaying them in their own coin? We know that the broadcaster has been accused by many political parties, including the outgoing official opposition Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), of snubbing them and giving preferential treatment to Swapo.

Maybe that is the source of Itula’s anguish. His decision has left questions on many lips – especially for a man who harbours ambitions to lead Namibia. We are an El Dorado of press freedom. But when public officials choose and pick who to cosy up with and who to demonise in the media space, it leaves a stain of uncertainty. Itula now leads the second largest party in Namibia, which must be accountable to the taxpayers – some of whom only watch NBC and expect to hear Itula on its airwaves.