Food for Votes Promotes Indignity

The DTA and apartheid are dead but their lessons live on. Sadly, it is Swapo perpetuating some of the ugly tactics of that bygone era.

For the benefit of Gen Alpha (people born between 2010 and 2025), the DTA, or Democratic Turnhalle Alliance, was a surrogate of South Africa’s apartheid regime aimed at countering the liberation movement, primarily Swapo.

With huge funding from the then regime, the DTA wooed crowds with food (mainly braai wors and brötchen) at campaign rallies in 1989, to try and ensure Swapo lost the elections.

At the time, the liberation movement criticised the practice as vote-buying with food and using people’s hunger for popularity.

Apartheid did not prevail. DTA support dwindled until it was put out of its misery.

How ironic that the ruling party has increasingly taken on the very tactics it correctly condemned as a cheap way to keep the masses in the throes of the colonisers’ authority.

Worse, such tactics do not have to reach the depths of indignity that many Namibians witnessed during Swapo’s star rally at Walvis Bay last weekend, as it vowed to win back control of the town from the opposition.

Scenes of food parcels being thrown at people were nothing short of demeaning.

Nearly half of Namibia’s three million people are suffering from a lack of food. At least six out of ten Namibians say they struggle to eat a decent meal – most don’t know where their next meal will come from.

Dozens of children and adults have died from malnutrition, i.e. hunger.

Every Namibian leader must know that poverty is so pervasive that many people will seize any opportunity to get food.

This week, prime minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila warned elected government officials to stop using food aid for political gain instead of effectively helping the hungry masses.

“The infighting by political heads in the regions must come to an end because you people are busy playing politics while ordinary, hungry Namibians are waiting to receive their food from those of you who are entrusted with that responsibility,” the prime minister was quoted as saying by New Era.

Swapo using food to “play politics” must be rooted out.

Political parties are correct to argue that they are using their money to serve supporters food at rallies. However, even if there was no law prohibiting the distribution of food, political parties need to reconsider the tactics that are part of their attraction during election campaigns.

It amounts to nothing short of preying on the hunger pangs of the masses.

It goes against the Namibian Constitution which talks about the “recognition of the inherent dignity” and the “desire to promote the dignity of the individual”.

Last year, chaos ensued at the 33rd Independence Day anniversary as some people grabbed food initially meant for VIPs and fled the event. Only a desperate person scrambles for food as has been happening at public events, with physical fights becoming normal.

At the very least, political parties must end the practice to avoid a catastrophic stampede.

Food for votes may amount to bribery, but, most crucially, political leaders must appreciate that attracting crowds with food further erodes the dignity of those already diminished by poverty.

Let us pull back from the brink.