EDITORIAL: Can Swapo hold their own accountable?
In recent weeks, the African National Congress (ANC) endured another tumultuous spell related to South African president Cyril Ramaphosa’s Phala Phala saga, and intensified by the party’s emotive elective conference starting tomorrow in Johannesburg.
While Ramaphosa seemingly avoided history on Tuesday by not becoming the first president to be impeached in post-apartheid South Africa, his ultimate fate lies with tomorrow’s conference.
What has been admirable so far is the manner in which some quarters of the ANC have bravely and publicly demanded accountability from Ramaphosa – something that ANC sister parties like Swapo would never do.
Here at home, the Phala Phala debacle spilled across our southern border into Namibia but no one in Swapo has looked President Hage Geingob in the eye and asked him to come clean on his alleged role in apprehending the robbers using national resources.
Of course those who dare question the president, even in the politest of tones, would be put to the political sword. There would be repercussions and dire consequences – not necessarily because of the leader’s personal vindictive nature but due to a long punitive and autocratic culture inculcated in the party to quash dissent with brutal force.
In the midst of the Phala Phala debacle, Swapo comrades are still competing to tie Geingob’s shoelaces - perpetuating the party’s deeply entrenched ‘lords and peasants’ culture - instead of asking the tough questions.
While Ramaphosa seemingly avoided history on Tuesday by not becoming the first president to be impeached in post-apartheid South Africa, his ultimate fate lies with tomorrow’s conference.
What has been admirable so far is the manner in which some quarters of the ANC have bravely and publicly demanded accountability from Ramaphosa – something that ANC sister parties like Swapo would never do.
Here at home, the Phala Phala debacle spilled across our southern border into Namibia but no one in Swapo has looked President Hage Geingob in the eye and asked him to come clean on his alleged role in apprehending the robbers using national resources.
Of course those who dare question the president, even in the politest of tones, would be put to the political sword. There would be repercussions and dire consequences – not necessarily because of the leader’s personal vindictive nature but due to a long punitive and autocratic culture inculcated in the party to quash dissent with brutal force.
In the midst of the Phala Phala debacle, Swapo comrades are still competing to tie Geingob’s shoelaces - perpetuating the party’s deeply entrenched ‘lords and peasants’ culture - instead of asking the tough questions.
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Namibian Sun
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