THE KEY to maintaining political peace and security in Namibia is with Swapo. And the ruling party must start to understand that more than any other organisation or group of leaders, it carries the biggest responsibility of making sure Namibia does not descend into chaos.
Since independence, Swapo leaders, with Founding President Sam Nujoma leading the charge, have acted recklessly in beating the drums to silence critics. We must worry that when the stakes become high one day, the seeds of war would germinate more easily.
Even the serene President Hifikepunye Pohamba, about 10 years ago, attacked his political opponents who later formed the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP), calling them Judas Iscariots, and whipping up emotions on the campaign trail.
Swapo supporters responded like hounds unleashed on their prey, physically assaulting RDP members holding their public rallies. It did not help that then Prime Minister Nahas Angula insisted that their opponent should stay away from Swapo's “no-go areas”.
And then there are leaders like Swapo secretary-general Nangolo Mbumba, who defended the violent actions of his party's supporters by saying they were “provoked” because the other party held a rally at a place that Swapo often held theirs; a public arena for that matter.
Like in the past, we have already witnessed several times this year that Swapo supporters are allowed to get away with disrupting the campaigns of their opponents, be it when they put up posters or hold meetings. Such continued impunity does not auger well for peace, security and the well-being of our democracy.
Sadly, Hage Geingob, the man destined to be our President once the 28 November elections have confirmed the widespread expectations, has not done better than his predecessors.
At best, Geingob has sent mixed signals. Sometimes he calls for tolerance and unity among the people. At other times he resorts to bullying and blackmail tactics when threatening that to keep peace and security in the country, people must vote for Swapo. The sub-text is not hard to miss: if Swapo is not voted for the country's peace will be at risk. It can only mean that the Swapos will spoil things for everyone if they don't get their way.
That sounds familiar. In 1989, DTA and their puppet masters also threatened the country with chaos if they were not retained. True to their words, murder and mayhem were the result. Swapo supporters and anyone viewed as against the DTA and the apartheid regime came under attack. Swapo and their leadership have seemingly forgotten how close matters came to the country going up in smoke.
It is therefore worrying that our next President would even tell the rally in Omuthiya in northern Namibia last weekend: “If there is somebody out there saying the government has not done anything yet, let the police officers arrest him and take him to jail because there is no truth in that. People must learn to tell the truth and thank the government for playing a crucial part in their lives.”
The statement tallies with attacks on civil society and Namibians whom he chose to brand as “interfering foreigners” simply because they dared to differ with him.
To paraphrase Jimi Hendrix and others, Geingob and his ruling party colleagues must let the power of love overcome their love for power, so that Namibia can live in peace much longer. They should also take a leaf out of Mother Teresa's book of wisdom and be reminded that, “if we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.”
And if that too does not sink in, perhaps our own son of the soil, Nelson Rolihlahla Mandela, can convince us with what he has done. Mandela is credited with saying: “If you want to make peace with your enemy, you have to work with your enemy. Then he becomes your partner.”
Above all, Swapo are in power, and those at the top must always shoulder the most responsibility for prosperity or the lack of it.