Showing posts with label Iyambo. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Iyambo. Show all posts
Friday, May 18, 2012
Some Leaders Already At Work
MOST businesses and Government offices are slowly coming to life and Cabinet should be up and running by the last week of January.
What’s interesting is that many of the ministries and crucial institutions operated on ‘auto-pilot’ throughout December – a time when offices are quiet and which can be best utilised to plan and strategise for the new year.
Of course many will argue that they also need to rest, plough their mahangu fields or be with their families over that period.
I am impressed by how the two gentlemen at the Ministry of Education spent their December.
Both Minister Abraham Iyambo and his deputy David Namwandi crisscrossed the country, meeting personnel and planning for the 2011 school year.
Their aim was not only to avert chaos on the first day at school, but also to motivate staff and look at ways to ultimately improve the school results.
Last year’s grade 10 results have already given a glimpse of hope for the future. It was the best since we started with the Cambridge system and it all boiled down to motivation of the staff.
One of the trademarks of a good leader is the authority to mobilise commitment from others supporting you. The two seemed to have ignited some fire of hope among teachers and supporting staff of the ministry – albeit not all.
Media, especially NBC reports, over the holiday period also seemed to indicate that new Karas governor Clinton Swartbooi hit the ground running.
He had meetings with traditional leaders, regional political leaders, community leaders and the ordinary people from the street where he clearly spelled out his vision for the region for the next five years.
Those who studied leadership will tell you that the difference between it and management is that leaders provide vision and influence for others to realise that vision.
While Swartbooi got off to a flying start, he needs to know how to tend and deploy some of the power that came with his position.
He has done well to give directed attention to some of the crucial issues which bedevil Karas, such as unemployment, alcoholism and late-night street roaming.
The strategy seemed to be that of mentioning his concerns about the issues first, gauging the reaction of the community and following up with clearcut instructions such as that of enforcing the law with regards to shebeens.
But he needs to engage the voices of fellow regional politicians and community leadership to avoid burning out and being isolated in his pursuit for better living conditions for the people of Karas.
Already some political and economic forces are at play to undermine his authority because by, for instance, closing shebeens at certain times he has cut the income of the owners. It is a known fact that some of the shebeen owners have political influence and could encourage their followers from cooperating with him.
While the above three gentlemen were hard at work, many of the new governors as well as ministers were missing in action.
The only news item I observed of one of the new governors, veteran politician Joshua //Hoëbeb, was a public welcome party Swapo held for him at Outjo and it sent a chill up my spine.
Here he is appointed by the President in an opposition-dominated region and the first thing he does is to appear at a welcoming party held by Swapo. It immediately causes unnecessary division and tension.
I have no problem with him attending his party’s functions but his actions might be seen as replicating what his predecessor was accused of – allegedly working only in the interest of one group. It is, however, too early to judge //Hoëbeb.
As for the rest of the governors and ministers, they better come back with very clear strategies. The people have observed the actions of Iyambo and Swartbooi. Surely they will want their leaders to be in the same league.
Thursday, March 3, 2011
Rape Of Our Women: The Great Shame
OF late we fight corruption, terrorism and racism almost all the time through workshops, media briefings and public demonstrations. But we seem to ignore one of the most barbaric forms of atrocity in Namibia – the rape, brutalisation and killing of women.
This week the media carried reports of two significant cases of the rape of two youthful women at Otjozondu near Okahandja and Ntara near Rundu respectively.
The communities’ reaction to the two events were as far apart as the east is from the west.
While at Otjozondu the community stood up to show their anger at the alleged rape of a teacher, the villagers of Ntara, including the parents of the victim and alleged culprits, protested the fact that a teacher had reported the gang-rape of a 14-year-old girl by nine boys to the Police.
The parents wanted the issue settled through the Ukwangali traditional court where the culprits’ parents would have compensated the other party with money or cattle.
Firstly, these two cases are just the tip of the iceberg.
Many rape cases remain unreported while the Police, especially in the Khomas Region, have imposed a blackout on crime reports to the media.
Also, since many of the unreported cases are dealt with at traditional authority level, hardly anyone else would know about the injustice against the victims who receive no counselling, for instance, while their relatives smile all the way to the bank!
I agree with Education Minister Dr Abraham Iyambo that everyone associated with the demonstration and threats to break classroom windows at the Ntara Combined School were “sick”.
Although the boys have not been found guilty by a court of law yet, the fact that their parents were willing to negotiate for compensation, in a way, indicates admission of guilt and the boys, aged between 14 and 17, who gang-raped the girl at a cattle crush pen as she was walking home from a funeral need to be firmly dealt with by the parents.
It is a fact that many convicted criminals start with ‘little’ crimes such as stealing something at home or at neighbours’ homes before the severity of their offences increases.
It is also true that if a case is not reported to the Police, such a culprit will continue to commit similar or other crimes. They feel protected by their relatives and the society they live in!
The law permits a minimum sentence of five years for rape. It also states that, if you are involved in gang-rape, you can be sentenced to another minimum five years for helping the co-accused.
The result is the nine boys risked being convicted on nine counts for a minimum of five years – the total being 45 years each.
It is clear that the parents of the boys realised the gravity of the crime and wanted to avoid such a sentence at all costs, but how can the relatives of the victim support a demonstration against the person who reported the matter to the Police when we are supposed to be waging a war against the rape and murder of women? How could they remain indifferent to the suffering of their 14-year-old daughter?
I am happy that Minister Iyambo did not remain quiet about the matter. If anything, he should order the suspension of the boys from school and an investigation into the matter.
The case clearly offers a window into the everyday corruption and injustice endured by many rural-based rape victims in Namibia.
I also hope that the powers of the traditional authorities in dealing with serious crimes such as rape would be reviewed.
If not, families should have the liberty to also charge the suspects criminally apart from receiving compensation at traditional level.
If the families fail, the State, as the laws permit, has the right to charge them.
The rape and violence against our women has already brought great enough shame on the country.
This week the media carried reports of two significant cases of the rape of two youthful women at Otjozondu near Okahandja and Ntara near Rundu respectively.
The communities’ reaction to the two events were as far apart as the east is from the west.
While at Otjozondu the community stood up to show their anger at the alleged rape of a teacher, the villagers of Ntara, including the parents of the victim and alleged culprits, protested the fact that a teacher had reported the gang-rape of a 14-year-old girl by nine boys to the Police.
The parents wanted the issue settled through the Ukwangali traditional court where the culprits’ parents would have compensated the other party with money or cattle.
Firstly, these two cases are just the tip of the iceberg.
Many rape cases remain unreported while the Police, especially in the Khomas Region, have imposed a blackout on crime reports to the media.
Also, since many of the unreported cases are dealt with at traditional authority level, hardly anyone else would know about the injustice against the victims who receive no counselling, for instance, while their relatives smile all the way to the bank!
I agree with Education Minister Dr Abraham Iyambo that everyone associated with the demonstration and threats to break classroom windows at the Ntara Combined School were “sick”.
Although the boys have not been found guilty by a court of law yet, the fact that their parents were willing to negotiate for compensation, in a way, indicates admission of guilt and the boys, aged between 14 and 17, who gang-raped the girl at a cattle crush pen as she was walking home from a funeral need to be firmly dealt with by the parents.
It is a fact that many convicted criminals start with ‘little’ crimes such as stealing something at home or at neighbours’ homes before the severity of their offences increases.
It is also true that if a case is not reported to the Police, such a culprit will continue to commit similar or other crimes. They feel protected by their relatives and the society they live in!
The law permits a minimum sentence of five years for rape. It also states that, if you are involved in gang-rape, you can be sentenced to another minimum five years for helping the co-accused.
The result is the nine boys risked being convicted on nine counts for a minimum of five years – the total being 45 years each.
It is clear that the parents of the boys realised the gravity of the crime and wanted to avoid such a sentence at all costs, but how can the relatives of the victim support a demonstration against the person who reported the matter to the Police when we are supposed to be waging a war against the rape and murder of women? How could they remain indifferent to the suffering of their 14-year-old daughter?
I am happy that Minister Iyambo did not remain quiet about the matter. If anything, he should order the suspension of the boys from school and an investigation into the matter.
The case clearly offers a window into the everyday corruption and injustice endured by many rural-based rape victims in Namibia.
I also hope that the powers of the traditional authorities in dealing with serious crimes such as rape would be reviewed.
If not, families should have the liberty to also charge the suspects criminally apart from receiving compensation at traditional level.
If the families fail, the State, as the laws permit, has the right to charge them.
The rape and violence against our women has already brought great enough shame on the country.
Tuesday, January 18, 2011
Some Leaders Already At Work
MOST businesses and Government offices are slowly coming to life and Cabinet should be up and running by the last week of January.
What’s interesting is that many of the ministries and crucial institutions operated on ‘auto-pilot’ throughout December – a time when offices are quiet and which can be best utilised to plan and strategise for the new year.
Of course many will argue that they also need to rest, plough their mahangu fields or be with their families over that period.
I am impressed by how the two gentlemen at the Ministry of Education spent their December.
Both Minister Abraham Iyambo and his deputy David Namwandi crisscrossed the country, meeting personnel and planning for the 2011 school year.
Their aim was not only to avert chaos on the first day at school, but also to motivate staff and look at ways to ultimately improve the school results.
Last year’s grade 10 results have already given a glimpse of hope for the future. It was the best since we started with the Cambridge system and it all boiled down to motivation of the staff.
One of the trademarks of a good leader is the authority to mobilise commitment from others supporting you. The two seemed to have ignited some fire of hope among teachers and supporting staff of the ministry – albeit not all.
Media, especially NBC reports, over the holiday period also seemed to indicate that new Karas governor Clinton Swartbooi hit the ground running.
He had meetings with traditional leaders, regional political leaders, community leaders and the ordinary people from the street where he clearly spelled out his vision for the region for the next five years.
Those who studied leadership will tell you that the difference between it and management is that leaders provide vision and influence for others to realise that vision.
While Swartbooi got off to a flying start, he needs to know how to tend and deploy some of the power that came with his position.
He has done well to give directed attention to some of the crucial issues which bedevil Karas, such as unemployment, alcoholism and late-night street roaming.
The strategy seemed to be that of mentioning his concerns about the issues first, gauging the reaction of the community and following up with clearcut instructions such as that of enforcing the law with regards to shebeens.
But he needs to engage the voices of fellow regional politicians and community leadership to avoid burning out and being isolated in his pursuit for better living conditions for the people of Karas.
Already some political and economic forces are at play to undermine his authority because by, for instance, closing shebeens at certain times he has cut the income of the owners. It is a known fact that some of the shebeen owners have political influence and could encourage their followers from cooperating with him.
While the above three gentlemen were hard at work, many of the new governors as well as ministers were missing in action.
The only news item I observed of one of the new governors, veteran politician Joshua //Hoëbeb, was a public welcome party Swapo held for him at Outjo and it sent a chill up my spine.
Here he is appointed by the President in an opposition-dominated region and the first thing he does is to appear at a welcoming party held by Swapo. It immediately causes unnecessary division and tension.
I have no problem with him attending his party’s functions but his actions might be seen as replicating what his predecessor was accused of – allegedly working only in the interest of one group. It is, however, too early to judge //Hoëbeb.
As for the rest of the governors and ministers, they better come back with very clear strategies. The people have observed the actions of Iyambo and Swartbooi. Surely they will want their leaders to be in the same league.
What’s interesting is that many of the ministries and crucial institutions operated on ‘auto-pilot’ throughout December – a time when offices are quiet and which can be best utilised to plan and strategise for the new year.
Of course many will argue that they also need to rest, plough their mahangu fields or be with their families over that period.
I am impressed by how the two gentlemen at the Ministry of Education spent their December.
Both Minister Abraham Iyambo and his deputy David Namwandi crisscrossed the country, meeting personnel and planning for the 2011 school year.
Their aim was not only to avert chaos on the first day at school, but also to motivate staff and look at ways to ultimately improve the school results.
Last year’s grade 10 results have already given a glimpse of hope for the future. It was the best since we started with the Cambridge system and it all boiled down to motivation of the staff.
One of the trademarks of a good leader is the authority to mobilise commitment from others supporting you. The two seemed to have ignited some fire of hope among teachers and supporting staff of the ministry – albeit not all.
Media, especially NBC reports, over the holiday period also seemed to indicate that new Karas governor Clinton Swartbooi hit the ground running.
He had meetings with traditional leaders, regional political leaders, community leaders and the ordinary people from the street where he clearly spelled out his vision for the region for the next five years.
Those who studied leadership will tell you that the difference between it and management is that leaders provide vision and influence for others to realise that vision.
While Swartbooi got off to a flying start, he needs to know how to tend and deploy some of the power that came with his position.
He has done well to give directed attention to some of the crucial issues which bedevil Karas, such as unemployment, alcoholism and late-night street roaming.
The strategy seemed to be that of mentioning his concerns about the issues first, gauging the reaction of the community and following up with clearcut instructions such as that of enforcing the law with regards to shebeens.
But he needs to engage the voices of fellow regional politicians and community leadership to avoid burning out and being isolated in his pursuit for better living conditions for the people of Karas.
Already some political and economic forces are at play to undermine his authority because by, for instance, closing shebeens at certain times he has cut the income of the owners. It is a known fact that some of the shebeen owners have political influence and could encourage their followers from cooperating with him.
While the above three gentlemen were hard at work, many of the new governors as well as ministers were missing in action.
The only news item I observed of one of the new governors, veteran politician Joshua //Hoëbeb, was a public welcome party Swapo held for him at Outjo and it sent a chill up my spine.
Here he is appointed by the President in an opposition-dominated region and the first thing he does is to appear at a welcoming party held by Swapo. It immediately causes unnecessary division and tension.
I have no problem with him attending his party’s functions but his actions might be seen as replicating what his predecessor was accused of – allegedly working only in the interest of one group. It is, however, too early to judge //Hoëbeb.
As for the rest of the governors and ministers, they better come back with very clear strategies. The people have observed the actions of Iyambo and Swartbooi. Surely they will want their leaders to be in the same league.
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