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Want some insight in Namibian politics? I am no expert but have 16 years (1995-2011) of writing on Namibian politics in The Namibian newspaper and can probably offer you a bit more than you know about the who's who in the Namibian political zoo. You will also find a few articles commenting on other issues of concern in the country. Hope you find it interesting. - Christof

Friday, December 9, 2011

Should We Continue To Call Them Honourables?

A STUDENT was recently expelled from a youth skills centre for asking whether councillors should indeed be called “Honourable”.

I was surprised that no student movement or political organisation came to his defence.
Could I take it that their silence is confirmation that they agree with what has happened to Matuundju Kavaka? And what has happened to freedom of thought or expression?
Kavaka, a young man from Omaheke Region, was a student at the Kai //ganaxab youth skills centre outside Mariental and was doing his internship at the Hardap Regional Council.
Whilst working in the corridors one day, he passed a regional councillor. Kavaka did not notice the councillor and thus did not greet him – something which did not go down well with the politician, who felt the young man was being disrespectful.
According to Kavaka he was later called in by the councillor and told that he should “bow down” to him when greeting and also address him as “Honourable”.
The event ignited something in Kavaka, who put his thoughts in a letter that he submitted to newspapers for publishing, but he was subsequently disciplined by the youth centre.
As a youth who aspires to become a leader, Kavaka was right in asking why politicians should be called “Honourable”.
I agree with his assertion that when politicians need people’s votes they pretend to be humble servants. When you go to their rallies, some would even stand up to give you a chair to sit on or carry water to you. In some cases they’ve been known to bow down in front of the electorate.
But that changes as soon as the results are announced and they are proclaimed victors.
They become pompous (or was it there all the time, just hidden until the votes are in?) and are not prepared to listen to an ordinary member of society.
Some even deny the people the rights which they have sworn to defend, such as in Kavaka’s case where freedom of thought and expression was taken away from him by someone who has yet to deliver tangible results for the voters in the constituency.
Such elected leaders forget that they are people just like anyone else. They should insist that there is no need for them to be called “Honourable”. The title alone will not engender respect from the people. But respect for the people and delivering on promises will!
In Namibia too much time is spent on titles and words such as “Honourable” and “Comrade”. When some Cabinet ministers write letters they refer to themselves as “Honourable Minister”, followed in brackets by “Member of Parliament”.
If we repeat phrases or words such as “Honourable” all the time, and especially when addressing politicians who are known to be useless in society, there is a risk that the words will lose their meaning. We need to break with this verbiage.
Therefore it is sickening to note that a prospective future leader like Kavaka faces the wrath of the authorities when he publicly ponders on the role of leadership in a society.
Instead of removing him from the Hardap Regional Council so that the youth centre that seconded him there will continue to receive favours, the discussion started by the young man should have been encouraged by institutions such as the National Youth Council, Namibia National Students’ Organisation and the youth leagues of various political parties.
The youth centre was wrong to withdraw him to maintain a good working relationship with the Regional Council because the council is an institution that will be there even after the so-called ‘honourables’ are gone.
And the ‘honourables’ should be reminded that they are there to represent people like Kavaka. They are their servants and not their bosses.
We have had enough of ‘honourables’ who are full of themselves and holier than thou but have done little or nothing to keep the promise they made to the people.

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