Work Together For Good Governance

UNTENABLE situations have developed at a few town councils in the country and political parties need to get their acts together to work for the betterment of their communities.

In the cases of Usakos and Karibib, Government itself has resorted to writing to Swapo expressing concern about the leadership vacuum in those towns, following the ruling party’s refusal to work with opposition members on the newly-elected councils. Administration of those towns has in the meantime been brought to a standstill as the wrangling continues.Slightly different, but nevertheless worrying, circumstances have paralysed local government in both Ongwediva and Opuwo.In the former case, differences within the ruling party over the elected candidates has resulted in the negation of their election and replacement by substitute candidates on the lists.This matter is currently in court, but in the meantime, the people of that town have already started protesting what they construe as interference from the hierarchy of Swapo.The ruling party may well argue, in this case, that it is the Party’s prerogative to choose candidates on the list.But perhaps more importantly, people of those towns feel that there is little point in holding elections at all, if they cannot choose the candidates themselves; and they go further to even question whether there is any point to democracy under such conditions.In a separate case in Opuwo, Swapo may have a slightly more legitimate basis to question the voters list where they allege people not living in the town had been allowed to vote.Nevertheless, what is worrying in all these cases is that the administration of these towns is in limbo, sometimes because of petty squabbles that should not be allowed to interfere with the day-to-day running of affairs.Worse still, is the fact that in Usakos and Karibib it appears as though the standstill is primarily due to the ruling party, which does not seem to accept the outcome of the elections, or the prospect of working together with other parties for the wellbeing of the towns and their people.In this case, all the parties should be encouraged to put aside their differences once the elections have been held and candidates chosen.It is important then that they get to work in order to exercise the mandate that people have given their elected representatives and to get on the with the business of managing these towns.In the case of Ongwediva, Swapo needs to take note that democracy should be a bottom-up affair, and candidates should be chosen by the people they are going to represent, rather than by the hierarchy of the Party who may have their own preferences and agendas.The actions of Swapo in Ongwediva seem to be totally counter-productive in terms of their support base, and the demonstration there this week is proof that all is not well.The fact that in cases such as Ongwediva, these matters are ending up in the courts, is also taking up both time and money, while the administration of the town continues to suffer.Worse still, it is causing people to question the most basic tenets of democracy: the right of people to elect the representatives of their choice, whether they be from Swapo or opposition political parties.Perhaps the swift resolution of the abovementioned cases can constitute a challenge for the Swapo Secretary General, now president-in-waiting, for the sake of both the townspeople as well as democracy itself.We would call for an urgent resolution in the interests of both the above.Administration of those towns has in the meantime been brought to a standstill as the wrangling continues.Slightly different, but nevertheless worrying, circumstances have paralysed local government in both Ongwediva and Opuwo.In the former case, differences within the ruling party over the elected candidates has resulted in the negation of their election and replacement by substitute candidates on the lists.This matter is currently in court, but in the meantime, the people of that town have already started protesting what they construe as interference from the hierarchy of Swapo.The ruling party may well argue, in this case, that it is the Party’s prerogative to choose candidates on the list.But perhaps more importantly, people of those towns feel that there is little point in holding elections at all, if they cannot choose the candidates themselves; and they go further to even question whether there is any point to democracy under such conditions.In a separate case in Opuwo, Swapo may have a slightly more legitimate basis to question the voters list where they allege people not living in the town had been allowed to vote.Nevertheless, what is worrying in all these cases is that the administration of these towns is in limbo, sometimes because of petty squabbles that should not be allowed to interfere with the day-to-day running of affairs.Worse still, is the fact that in Usakos and Karibib it appears as though the standstill is primarily due to the ruling party, which does not seem to accept the outcome of the elections, or the prospect of working together with other parties for the wellbeing of the towns and their people.In this case, all the parties should be encouraged to put aside their differences once the elections have been held and candidates chosen.It is important then that they get to work in order to exercise the mandate that people have given their elected representatives and to get on the with the business of managing these towns.In the case of Ongwediva, Swapo needs to take note that democracy should be a bottom-up affair, and candidates should be chosen by the people they are going to represent, rather than by the hierarchy of the Party who may have their own preferences and agendas.The actions of Swapo in Ongwediva seem to be totally counter-productive in terms of their support base, and the demonstration there this week is proof that all is not well.The fact that in cases such as Ongwediva, these matters are ending up in the courts, is also taking up both time and money, while the administration of the town continues to suffer.Worse still, it is causing people to question the most basic tenets of democracy: the right of people to elect the representatives of their choice, whether they be from Swapo or opposition political parties.Perhaps the swift resolution of the abovementioned cases can constitute a challenge for the Swapo Secretary General, now president-in-waiting, for the sake of both the townspeople as well as democracy itself.We would call for an urgent resolution in the interests of both the above.