Contextualising self-governance through service delivery
In his documentary, ‘The Africans: A Triple Heritage” Ali Mazrui (1986) contends that one can teach other people how to speak the English language, still one can teach them how to practice Christianity, but one cannot teach them how to govern themselves, that they must learn themselves. Unfortunately, this formula and order were despised by the colonizers when they landed on African soil. Yet when Europeans arrived in Africa, they encountered indigenous states which had longestablished patterns of interaction within their cultural settings, which they disrupted (Chazan, Mortimer, Ravenhill and Rothchild, 1992).
Confirming the abuse of Africans by the colonizers, Kruger, a three-time Commissioner of the Caprivi (now the Zambezi region), asserts that in some cases the Germans and South Africans meted out severe physical punishment to the attainment of discipline and strictness among the indigenous community (Kruger, 1984). This in itself created a philosophy of violence and fear. The beating of elderly people because they were Africans and, in the process, disciplining them was tantamount to subordinating and insulting them.
Thisequallyemphasized the fact that disciplining children could only be achieved by beating them. No wonder this practice has reigned supreme in Black schools even today. The beating left an indeliblemarkontheelders and their children, and many of them helplessly capitulated before the White man and could not beat back because it was not their nature of disciplining children.
The disruption of established patterns and systems of governance among the African traditional setups was further carried out by new nationalist governments.
In some countries, traditional authorities were completely abolished and the kings and chiefs were disposed of and exiled, if not fortunate they were killed by people who were their subjects. The new African nationalists deliberately forgot their grassroots and traditional upbringing, simply because power has gone into their heads.
Many African leaders would disgrace traditional leaders in broad daylight for suspicion that they did not support the new regime.
People would no longer differentiate between colonizers and the new brood of nationalists.
The nationalist leaders always forget that they need to consult and communicate with the indigenous authorities, as many Africans are still traditional in their approach and ways of doing things. In Namibia, Swapo as the ruling party has managed to steer the country for thirty-two years now, after being granted self-governance by the South African regime on 21 March 1990.
In some cases, the road was rocky and slippery, and the challenges are still staring at the people and maybe vice versa. With self-governance and abundant resources, blessed with a manageable population the country should have done better.
But alas, the state of affairs in some sectors has brought fear and hopelessness, especially among the youth with very few prospects of getting jobs. Yes, job hunting has become an issue in many countries all over the world, but where self-governance and good leadership are exercised, things appear to be better and hopeful. The main hallmark in these countries is that the rulers and the nation interact at all levels in trying to get solutions, which affect the people.
One may argue that councillors are elected and are supposed to be visiting and consulting their constituencies, but in most cases, these politicians simply appear during election time. Some of them fail to visit traditional authorities to find out the needs of these entities of government. Some councillors don’t consider traditional authorities to be arms and parts of the national government.
The other issue the national government is facing is the scourge of corruption, which has reached immense proportions, and even some legal firms have been implicated in corrupt transactions. Whether one denies it or not, the writing of corruption is on the wall for everyone to see.
One need not mention corrupt scandals, which have wrecked some sectors in the country. There are many regional councils and local authorities where employment is based on ethnicity and favouritism. The line ministry should have taken steps through affirmative action and gender equality policies to remedy such situations.
Lately, the head of state lamented about this trend in some sectors.
A nation is built by all people living in it, and the moment other people are excluded, and then cracks are likely to appear in the national system. These cracks usually lead to serious consequences of conflicts, a situation that is supposed to be prevented, had the leaders listened and taken precautions to remedy the situation. But in many cases, national leaders play the ostrich by burying their heads in the sand. The inequality equation in national development is another issue the government has to deal with as a matter of urgency.
Driving through this country, one notices that many towns and areas are still stagnant as they were during the colonial period. Of course, in some sections especially in the northern regions, developmental strides have been made although not every village has benefitted from the largesse.
Squatters have sprung almost everywhere and in Katima Mulilo, these structures have been demolished, the only town that has done so, although saving Makaravani where the Oshiwambo-speaking Namibians live. One is tempted to challenge such discrimination of Katima Mulilo Town Council, in which some squatters are spared and others demolished.
The decaying education system, which needs urgent rehabilitation, is another hurdle to deal with. Self-governance has to deal with these issues to realise the relevance of independence.