The president of Namibia deserves recognition for adhering to the approach established by her predecessor, which involves setting goals and pledging to hold her Cabinet ministers accountable for their performance.
Via the sixth National Development Plan and the Swapo Manifesto Implementation Plan, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has appropriately placed herself in a position where voters can ensure her government fulfills its commitments.
The late president Hage Geingob adopted this method at the start of his first term in 2015 via his notable performance target document, the Harambee Prosperity Plan.
Nandi-Ndaitwah's commitment to making Namibia realize Vision 2030, transforming it into an industrialized or economically developed nation by the conclusion of her tenure, is expected to require N$505 billion.
We tell anyone interested in monitoring development (ideally, there will be improvement, unlike under Geingob's tenure when Namibia's economy declined): track the funds.
A colossal N$505 billion aimed at propelling Namibia from lower middle income status, which the president is applauding, to a first-world level is truly overwhelming.
It is similar to the current annual national budget distributed over a five-year period.
First of all, where will the funds be sourced from? What will they be allocated for, truly? Will the expenditure ultimately be worth the cost, or will Namibians find themselves in even greater financial difficulties, considering that development metrics have been regressing for over fifty years?
Namibians ought to be worried that, similar to previous times, when assurances of economic growth are given, there is consistently no thorough explanation of how the funds will be obtained, nor an annual update on how the money was utilized and if the initiatives proved beneficial.
Former presidents Hifikepunye Pohamba and Geingob departed from the country carrying significant debts that we may find difficult to settle.
They also left us with significant white elephants such as fuel storage facilities and over-invested road networks.
There are already signs that the Nandi-Ndaitwah administration is likely to adopt a similar approach by securing substantial support.
Some people believe that oil extraction could begin within the next five to ten years, allowing Namibia to secure loans by using oil as a guarantee.
Let's steer clear of the errors seen in Mozambique and Zambia (to say nothing of Zimbabwe), where governments took on excessive debt without proper monitoring by parliament and civil society.
Numerous people think Nandi-Ndaitwah has come with positive motives and an honest record. A compassionate nature should not be mistaken for skill and efficiency.
Steps should be implemented to guarantee that Namibia borrows wisely and that the funds are primarily directed towards sectors that generate economic benefits, which in turn will support the development of desirable initiatives.
Lenders will seek repayment along with interest. This applies regardless of whether they are Western financial institutions or government-backed lenders from China and Russia.
They all ultimately insist on and extract payment from their borrowers.
Namibia should steer clear of that mistake. Voters, track the funds.
No Harmony in One Namibia
The tribal sentiments that recently erupted, resulting in one death and markets being destroyed, must not be ignored as mere isolated incidents or misunderstood.
Councillor Erwin Katjize from Otjinene has chosen to ignore the facts by asserting that there were no conflicts between Ovaherero speakers and Ovawambo or Ovazemba, even though the rioters' actions clearly contradicted this claim.
Rather than acting like ostriches, the governing elite should conduct a thorough analysis of the increasing tribal and racial divisions in independent Namibia.
It involves the privileged class fueling conflicts through practices like favoritism or nepotism to elevate family and friends, or rival elites inciting tribal sentiments in order to benefit from the corrupt system that has enriched numerous legislators and their associates since independence.
The truth is that most Namibians, from every tribe and race, who are not part of the ruling elite, have been suffering in poverty and hardship.
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Tagged: Debt, Namibia, Economy, Business and Finance, Southern Africa
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