I have been pondering the 50/50 gender representation and trying to understand the direction it is coming from and going by trying to understand the voices of the Swapo Party leadership. President Pohamba and Nangolo Mbumba have spoken much about the 50/50 quota saying that it is “here to stay”, Vice-President Dr Hage Geingob has said that the people must understand that 50/50 gender representation does not mean “that women will automatically fill 50%” of the parliamentary list.
My understanding of the gender representation is that it aims to get women 50/50 representation in decision-making structures and platforms at governance level, which I believe includes 50/50 at the level of Cabinet once the Swapo Party has won as expected and not only in Parliament, as most voices have been directing.
My understanding also is that this was only a Swapo Party congress resolution (2012), necessitated by the SADC gender protocol on Women in Power whereas Swapo is the ruling party and is aware of this at government level and expecting to win as has been since independence in 1990. I am seeing a situation where opposition parties seems to be taking this Swapo Party resolution as a call for them too, and none has decided on 50/50 gender representation thus far in their congresses according to the limited personal knowledge at this point in time.
I am a bit confused about the above mentioned and it needs to be answered if not corrected. The opposition must focus on their agenda and so should the Swapo Party in this regard.
I am not in support of creating special groups, as most governments in the Southern African Development Community (SADC) have adopted ridiculous agendas that further divide society. By this I mean that we come from a background where we were segregated according to our skin colour and race, yet we are creating special groups within the whole lot of previously disadvantaged.
Women are not special in any form in an independent state where there is no authoritative figure that is oppressing or marginalising them in anyway to be accorded a wheelchair platform to get into decision-making platforms without working hard for them equally as other citizens. The youth make up most of our population and it is a growing trend that unfortunately no one can avoid, we have seen no platform where the youth of this country demand to be ‘given’ a share of representation in any part of leadership other than urge the older leadership to accommodate them as time goes by. We have seen the older generation accord young people power and space in leadership because they have worked and earned it for themselves to represent others. The Hon Peya Mushelenga, Hon Ignatius Shixwameni, (former Swapo Party Youth League Secretary and MP subsequently before quitting SWAPO to join CoD and now APP) Hon Pohamba Shifeta, Hon Juliet Kavetuna, Hon Clinton Swartbooi, among others have all graduated from the rank and file of their hard-earned ways and means of conduct in their political lives. There was never a quota allocated and never should there be such for the youth because leadership is not a given but a rare character that must come out of you through serious commitment.
We have here today a situation in South Africa whereby there is a Minister for Women in the Presidency, what is the aim and purpose of having a ministry in the name of women? If South Africa wants to be real with gender issues they must rename that Ministry/Desk at ministerial level to ‘gender’, because there are people in their country whom they recognise also such as men, and those others such as gays and lesbians who they have to represent under one institution to be more sensible. In Namibia our ministry is that of gender, which recognises both men and women, I don’t know about gays and lesbians because I personally do not recognise them and so doesn’t my government.
The main issue I have is that where we are likely to see a flood of many incompetent people in the name of womanhood in our administration, which has proved to be a mess already, as most women can’t work together thus far in our society. I also see this sudden proposition and enforcing of 50/50 gender representation as an attempt to weaken Dr Hage Geingob’s team of leadership expected to take this country forward, because most of our people are going to become overnight politicians and political leaders without leadership qualities that is essential for any sane political and administrative figure to possess. Any sane Namibian would want to see a strong team of competent people around Dr Geingob to deliver us from the yoke of poverty, which has been a tough challenge for our former and outgoing presidents.
2015 is the time to implement programmes such as the Basic Income Grant (BIG) and other measures that will restore people’s hopes in the Swapo Party and government, not to test if some people can lead as if we are testing batteries on an accessory. We mean business and business means having competent people and not fills positions with women because we want to ‘see’, if they can do it or not, we are tired of policies and models, time for implementation is now.
Rumours have been rounds in Namibia that the National Youth Council has geared up to position a certain female candidate for the position of executive chairperson, come the General Assembly time. I am informing the youth that we must not be timid and passive in accepting manipulation in the name of 50/50, Juliet Kavetuna was there – not because she is a woman, but because she proved to be able to run for the position competently and the same case should dictate for this years candidates of the EC job among other positions in the board of directors. Gender cards can never be used to manipulate and take advantage of the youth’s naivety and nor should the youth compromise quality and excellence for any funny character reflecting incompetence to deal with and handle youth affairs in the land of the brave.
The 50/50 gender card should be ignore with the contempt it deserves because it seeks to bring about division and instability in our peaceful country because if women are treated special today, tomorrow it is going to be the youth, and then the disabled will demand their share, men will demand justice one day for being discriminated against over time, the elders will also want to be represented at such levels, and may be children might demand for their own Minister for children one day. Can we afford such chaos? My opinion is no.
(Simeon Tonata Angombe is a history researcher at the African Liberation Heritage.)
SIMEON TONATA ANGOMBE