Unfulfilled promises of freedom within Namibia's democracy

My generation has a unique name: the 'born-free' generation: They were the first generation born free of colonialism, racism and apartheid.

In theory, this generation has more opportunity than ever.

However, this promise does not seem to have materialised. This arch of broken promises will lead us right back to the trenches where we began. According to the World Bank, Namibia is the most economically unequal country in the world after 33 years of independence. Statistically, many black Namibians are still at a disadvantage, living in abject poverty and misery with fewer employment opportunities and lower wages.

The incarceration of Michael Amushelelo, who has captured the hearts and minds of the downtrodden, the marginalised and unemployed youth who see him as a beacon of hope, a symbol of bravery, and a rallying point for change, raises questions about the legitimacy and integrity of our judiciary system.

This week, Namibia's social media platforms and community conversations were flooded with discussions about the High Court's decision to deny bail to Amushelelo.

Many ordinary Namibians believe that the charges against him are frivolous and fabricated because he dared to defy the status quo by demanding ordinary Namibians benefit from development and for speaking truth to power.

The repercussions and repression faced by him are not merely a threat to his own pursuit of justice but rather reflect the broader reality of what ordinary Namibians endure. His plight is a revelation because of his prominence and significance in the activism space. The unfolding of a long oppressive trajectory is a result of promises of freedom of speech, association, opinion and assembly that were never fulfilled.

Failed democracy

This is the post-colonial reality of the hypocrisy of Namibian democracy without justice. The inability of people to do what they are supposed to do without threats and intimidation is a testimony that the government led by the former liberation movement Swapo is anti-poor and anti-black in outlook and philosophy.

It is disheartening that gross violations of fundamental human rights and freedom are ongoing in an era of democratic dispensation, increasingly faced by patriotic young activists throughout the country who are carrying the human rights message and bringing about meaningful impact on the livelihood of people in their communities. My government has been unleashing violence on its own youth, which represents the most important sector of the nation.

Violence is perpetuated through unlawful arrests and detentions, high unemployment rates, poverty, a lack of housing, inequality, and corruption among the elites.

There are shrewd intellectuals and stooges in our society.

Their mandate, behaviour, and way of thinking aim to maintain the status quo and assert the absolute necessity for their narrative to dominate public imagination and thought.

It is a doctrine of nationalising the theft of national resources into the hands of the minority for self-enrichment. Therefore, it is imperative that the general youth population be made to understand and become more vigilant to defend our governing institutions that are misgoverned.

Worrying trajectory

In the annals of history, young people have consistently been at the forefront of resisting oppressive regimes that inflicted endless terror and pain.

It is unwise for a government led by former freedom fighters to underestimate the power of the youth. The power structure derives its legitimacy, validity, and strength solely from the faith that the general population has in its operational system.

This is what Mahatma Gandhi meant when he said: "There is a higher court than courts of justice, and that is the court of conscience. It supersedes all other courts".

Hence, if this trajectory of political influences and the capture of our judiciary system continues to unfold, it has the potential to bring chaos and disorder to Namibian society. No one will want to be subjected to a process that is rigged and biased. Even the illiterate people in our communities recognise injustice and unfairness when they occur.

One will conclude that Amushelelo's fate is not about being a constitutional delinquent. It is the nature of politics to be dominated by powerful classes that use state institutions and structures to suppress dissent.

This calls for collective interest and solidarity among all peace-loving Namibians, particularly youth, to stand up and demand an independent and impartial judiciary that is free from political influence and capture, which are paramount for peace, order, and harmony.

Chief Hosea Katjikururume Komombumbi Kutako's words still resound: "You must never be fearful about what you are doing when it is right. The reality is that when the judiciary system collapses, we will all consequently be massacred."

- Modestus Kasoma Kupembona is a social justice activist and chairperson of the Freedom March Movement.