Voter Registration: Parties, Plans and Priorities

Political parties and the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN), as well as president Nangolo Mbumba have all expressed concern about low voter registration.

What is the root cause? I believe it stems from at least some, if not all, the following issues.

1. *Lack of well-articulated and inspiring solutions offered by political parties to eradicate challenges.
2. *Misalignment of the start of political party airtime given by the Namibia Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) and the start of the registration process by ECN.
3. *Lack of education on the concept of democracy and why people are periodically asked to vote as well as the rationale behind elections.
   *Political parties ask voters to give them the opportunity to govern Namibia, but fail to clearly present how voters will ultimately benefit once the actual voting process is concluded.

In simple terms: How do parties intend to address and, more importantly, solve challenges such as high employment, lack of adequate housing, poor education, a failed health system, lack of economic freedom, the high cost of living, the lack of an efficient and effective transportation system, the pandemic that is gender-based violence, to mention but a few.  

I do not need to emphasise that the Namibian voter is searching for a party that presents convincing and smart (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and timebound) solutions.

MOTIVATION

In 2019, one of the main reasons that pushed me to the registration table and subsequently to the ballot station was my desire to preserve the unity in our country by voting for our late president Hage Geingob.

I must mention here that I unequivocally did not vote for Swapo.

President Geingob was the first non-Oshiwambo president and for me it was vital that he served a second term in office.

While I acknowledge that he had his flaws, I considered his efforts at unifying the country as more relevant than his, at the time, below-par performance.

President Geingob not serving a second term could have possibly brought short-term gains but might have created long-term damage to Namibian nation building.

In certain instances, it might have created the impression that our country belonged to only one tribe.

Other than that, I was not impressed or inspired by any political party development agenda or presidential candidate.

ACCOUNTABILITY

The concept of accountability demands that political parties, mine included, must present their ideals and vision to the voters. 

In my party’s case, these  could include the development of an industrial town between Okahandja and Otjiwarongo, developing a film industry at Omaruru, building a tile processing plant at Mariental, establishing a long overdue copper processing plant at Omuthiya, creating a timber processing plant at Nkurenkuru and a garment factory at Eenhana, the completion of two 120 MW coal-fired power plants at Omaheke and Otjozondjupa, as well as the construction of 220 000 housing units countrywide, in less than 10 years.

Submissions like these demonstrate that the political party intends to create job opportunities in urban and rural areas, is geared towards processing Namibian minerals into finished products with a focus on economic growth, as well as improving living standards for every Namibian.

These are the type of issues that motivate voters to register in large numbers and ultimately to vote.

PROBLEM SOLVERS VS. COMPLAINERS

Unfortunately, many of our parties tend to focus on history – for example, promoting one individual party leader as a messiah.

In so doing, they fail to narrate the party’s vision by ignoring the actual challenges affecting voters, further diminishing the dreams and aspirations of Namibians.

It is important for political parties come up with workable and practical solutions to the challenges citizens face if they honestly want to govern for the purpose of leading this nation.

True leaders are problem solvers and not perennial complainers about problems.

Preaching to voters that it is their right to register without presenting workable solutions can prove a sure way of encouraging political mediocrity and lazy thinkers to form a government that presents zero solutions.

Further, giving history lessons and ‘footing it’ on the campaign trail may impress voters, but will do very little to inspire them to actually vote.

After all, elections are about the future, not the past nor physical fitness.

• * Penda Negonga is professional electrical engineer and co-founder and acting president of the Namibia Progressive Party (NAPPA); nappaparty@gmail.com