By: Anton Mbinge
Political analyst RuiTyitende stated that the current administration has divorced itself from the realities experienced by many Namibians. Tyitende added that the fruits of independence do not benefit the masses as the country is still facing social and economic challenges.
Tyitende noted that there have been some positive aspects since independence such as good road infrastructure, construction of schools and primary health facilities amongst others. But, at the same time, there have been challenges such as high unemployment rate among the youth which stands at 46%, corruption and general incompetency when it comes to service delivery, Tyitende said. He added that the country has also failed to adequately address racial imbalances and that only a few black well-connected people are doing well.
Tyitende who is a political science lecturer at the University of Namibia (Unam) made these statements while analysing the 33 years of independence.
“As we speak , the country currently has 1.6 million people living in poverty, one million people living in undignified housing. We have our brothers and sisters scavenging for food around various dumpsites around the country. So we need to ask ourselves the question, what does political independence mean for them, specifically political independence because we are not economically independent. Our political elites are divorced from the realities that ordinary Namibians are facing, that is why when they are confronted with certain issues they tend to be dismissive, saying that it is not true because they don't go where the people are living. They don’t understand the national mood when people are saying we are hungry, we are poor and we don’t have food,” noted Tyitende.
He urged young people to vote adding that expressing themselves on social media platforms is not enough and it will not affect any change.
In addition, the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) Deputy Chief Whip and Member of Parliament, Elma Dienda, added that there is a need to balance the distribution of resources so that they do not only benefit those who are already rich.
“The poor, those living under the bridges, might have, for this year in Outapi, a piece of bread and cool drink but after 21 March, what will happen to the people, to our street kids, our youth who are unemployed. What will happen to our graduates who are sitting with degrees which are worth nothing in this independent Namibia. This independence, is it for all of us or only for certain elites of the country. Let us share the resources, remarked Dienda.
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