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| Fresh start: Residents of Namibia's capital waited outside a rally for the launch of the new RDP party Saturday. Leaders from
the ruling SWAPO party broke away to form the RDP. Stephanie Hanes |
Southern Africa moves past liberation heroes
Top leaders in Namibia launched a new party this week. The trend may spread.
from the November 21, 2007 edition
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"The problem with liberation movements is that they tend to see themselves, and present themselves, as not just another political organization; they see themselves as the nation, the people," says Steven Friedman of the Institute for Democracy in South Africa in Johannesburg. "Then, when they actually take up power, differences become clearer. It's not just a party of people united to get rid of the colonizers."
Some countries have already watched the dissolution of their "one-party democracies." Zambia, for instance, saw a peaceful end to the United National Independence Party's hold on power in the 1990s – UNIP is still a political party there. Zimbabwe has gone through a more violent evolution, with President Robert Mugabe – long one of southern Africa's most renowned independence heroes – violently repressing political opponents.
Namibia is the latest country to join this move away from independence party rule and is the closest – historically and culturally – to South Africa.
Namibia's new party
"Nambia has been in decline," former cabinet minister Hidipo Hamutenya said at this week's launch of the Rally for Democracy and Progress party (RDP). "Confusion has taken over – people have begun to doubt the direction of the nation. The politics of fear has taken over."
Mr. Hamutenya, often called by his nickname "H.H.," is considered the second most influential politician in Namibia after the country's founder and former president, Sam Nujoma.
Hamutenya has long battled with Mr. Nujoma, and resigned from SWAPO earlier this month to become the interim president of the RDP.
His broad criticisms of SWAPO touched a nerve with many of the Namibians who gathered in the arena despite lingering nervousness about intimidation.
"I've been a SWAPO member since 1977," says Ben Araeb, a pastor in Katatura township outside Windhoek, the capital city. "But after independence I didn't see any progress. It's only an elite that's had anything. I want fairness. I want leaders who are looking to the needs of the people."
Mr. Araeb says that nepotism and corruption have become problems in his country – a sentiment echoed many times at the gathering – onstage and off.
"We need a change in the republic of Namibia," says Palesha Abraham, a housewife in Windhoek. "Poor education, corruption, despotism, tribalism – all these things need to change."
Ms. Abraham says she heard about the new party about a month ago, when local newspapers started printing rumors that some SWAPO officials were considering splitting from the party. "It's very popular," she says. "Almost everybody I know supports this RDP party."
In neighboring South Africa, Mr. ya Nangolo says, the ANC must be taking note. "Absolutely the ANC is watching what's happening with SWAPO," he says. "They may go the same way."
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