EDITORIAL: Improving service delivery

The Landless People's Movement’s decision to host a policy conference aimed at directing party policies is a sign that political formations have realised there is a need to move away from the traditional way of doing things if they want to remain relevant.

The ruling Swapo Party and the Popular Democratic Movement also had similar interventions in the past.

This could perhaps also be an adequate response tool to the needs of the electorate.

Our political system has for years been stuck in the stone ages, with parties doing the bare minimum to serve their communities. In fact, many of them are dormant most of the time and only resurface during election season.

This situation has to a large extent contributed to the high levels of voter apathy, with the electorate seemingly not seeing the relevance of political actors.

All this is merely the result of the absence of clear party policies aimed at addressing bread-and-butter issues of the populace. When political actors become irrelevant and society is forced to fend for themselves, those in the political arena are bound to struggle to lure voters.

Only policies which lead to effective service delivery and solve socioeconomic problems will motivate voters to place their well-being in the hands of political actors.

It is our hope that other political formations also follows suit to ensure that we have a vibrant and pluralistic political spectrum in which political actors compete robustly - based on ideas aimed at improving the lives of their communities.

The outcome of these policy conventions should not collect dust after delegates have returned to their political bases, but should be speedily implemented for the betterment of our people.