Mbumba accused of delegating country’s problems to development agencies

President Nangolo Mbumba has been criticised for asking development agencies for help, with analysts saying the country’s challenges remain the government’s responsibility.

Mbumba last week pleaded for aid from the United Nations, saying the country’s current climate has left Namibians hungry.

“We will really need help there – even if it is the only area where we can get help in terms of food, in terms of preparing the food, in terms of the utensils mothers can use.

“If it moves us up, then it moves the whole system up,” he said.

The president met with United Nations (UN) assistant secretary general Reena Ghelani at State House last week, where he asked for help amid severe drought and food insecurity.

“Once again, we are always happy to receive people from the UN system, because we are a product of the United Nations,” he said.

PLANNING

Political and international relations analyst Lesley Blaauw says where there is a shortfall, specialised UN agencies can be approached for assistance, but challenges still remain the government’s responsibility.

“Climate change will continue to impact the country and considerable financial planning is needed at national level to provide for it and other natural disasters,” he says.

Blaauw says the government is receiving funding through the Environment Investment Fund to counter the impacts of climate change.

“Remember, we get funding to counteract climate change in Namibia, which is administered by the Ministry of Environment, Forestry and Tourism. How is that money used, for instance, to counteract food insecurity in Namibia?” he asks.

He says Mbumba lacks self-awareness in what the role of the international community is with regards to solving national issues.

Analyst Rui Tyitende says Namibia does not need to beg for assistance to improve residents’ material conditions.

“Hence, our socio-economic problems are artificial, because there’s no political will to address them. Our problems do not need to be resolved by development agencies such as the United Nations Development Programme, they can only be resolved by a competent and morally upright government,” he says.

He calls Mbumba out for “hypocrisy” when he says documents and conferences do not solve issues.

“However, the Namibian government has developed a litany of development plans and policies, such as Vision 2030 and the Harambee Prosperity Plan, which have dismally failed to arrest the social ills of poverty, inequality, unemployment and hunger,” he says.

Tyitende believes Namibia has no lack of finances.

“The problem is greed, corruption and policy incompetence. For example, why should government ministers have access to state-funded vehicles, entertainment allowance, while the poorest poor are being treated under trees and dying of hunger,” he says.

The analyst asks why a former head of state should be given N$40 million cash upon retiring amid financial constraints.

“The culture of conspicuous consumption is deeply engrained in the governing elite, therefore president Mbumba should be reminded that Namibia’s socio-economic problems are a construct of the government’s indifference towards the most vulnerable in society,” he says.

STATE HOUSE COMMENTS

Press secretary Alfredo Hengari yesterday said it is odd to receive lectures from analysts whose only expertise may be theoretical.

“President Nangolo Mbumba was a long-serving finance minister and brings a full appreciation to the Presidency of the importance of domestic resource mobilisation for national development.

“As our president and chief diplomat, the president has a full grasp of the catalytic role of the Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation and the National Planning Commission in coordinating development with our international cooperating partners,” he said.

Hengari said the resources of Namibian citizens are used optimally to advance development, and to improve infrastructure and Namibians’ general welfare.

“President Mbumba has been emphasising for the past six months that we need to scale up implementation of national projects to improve livelihoods and it is the same message the president has been emphasising to our cooperating partners, including the United Nations system.”