Idealism

Idealism! Throughout history, some men had sought the ideal, and most had called it freedom. Only fools expected absolute freedom, but wise men dreamed up many systems of relative freedom, including democracy. They had tried that in America, as the last fling of the dream. It had been a good attempt, too.

The men who drew the Constitution had been pretty practical dreamers. They came to their task after a bitter war and a worse period of wild chaos, and they had learned where idealism stopped and idiocy began. They set up a republic with all the elements of democracy that they considered safe. It had worked well enough to make America the number one power of the world. But the men who followed the framers of the new plan were a different sort, without the knowledge of practical limits.

The privileges their ancestors had earned in blood and care became automatic rights. Practical men tried to explain that there were no such rights—that each generation had to pay for its rights with responsibility. That kind of talk didn't get far. People wanted to hear about rights, not about duties.

They took the phrase that all men were created equal and left out the implied kicker that equality was in the sight of God and before the law. They wanted an equality with the greatest men without giving up their drive toward mediocrity, and they meant to have it. In a way, they got it.

They got the vote extended to everyone. The man on subsidy or public dole could vote to demand more. The man who read of nothing beyond sex crimes could vote on the great political issues of the world. No ability was needed for his vote. In fact, he was assured that voting alone was enough to make him a fine and noble citizen. He loved that, if he bothered to vote at all that year. He became a great man by listing his unthought, hungry desire for someone to take care of him without responsibility. So he went out and voted for the man who promised him most, or who looked most like what his limited dreams felt to be a father image or son image or hero image. He never bothered later to see how the men he'd elected had handled the jobs he had given them.

Someone had to look, of course, and someone did. Organized special interests stepped in where the mob had failed. Lobbies grew up. There had always been pressure groups, but now they developed into a third arm of the government.

Bagde of Infamy - Lester del Rey

Why did I write, "Future Namibia"?

Namibians have a lot to be proud of. It is one of the most spectacular countries in terms of scenery and wildlife. In addition, it has enormous mineral wealth.

The most important ingredient of this country however, is its people. Namibians have emerged from decades of colonialism and apartheid rule to become one of the most integrated societies in the world. Regardless of social, economic or political background, Namibians are proud of their country.

As a child of Independence, having raised the flag of Namibia over Windhoek the morning of 21 March 1990, I am grateful for those who went before me to ensure the quality of life we can all enjoy.

I have been trained in investment promotion, or in plain words, marketing of Namibia to outsiders. This has had its share of success and failure, but more importantly given me the chance to study the people, the landscape, the business sectors, history and so much more.

This book is the result of my experiences and study of the best system for making this country even better for us, and our generations to come. While preparing the book I was looking for a basis on which to write. The best structure, I believe, has been to write this book as a “Business Plan for Namibia”. Accordingly, I looked at:

·         Management (Government, Legislature and Executive)

·         External and Internal Environments (PEST analysis)

·         Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats (SWOT)

·         Marketing planning(through segmentation and targeting) to find the best value proposition

·         Forecasting

In all these, I looked for the best result achieved in other countries such as China, Germany, France, Netherlands, Japan, USA, etc and adapted it to our specific situation.

Throughout this book I also looked at how to integrate technology into our systems and daily lives. I have struggled to find a term for this and the best I could find was “Progress through Technology”,  or in German, “Vorsprung Durch Technik” . I prefer to use the German expression because in German the word “Technik” not only means technology, but also the technique of studying and mastering the skills of something.

My conclusion is that in Namibia, discrimination is not based only on race, culture, gender, or geographical location, but more importantly in access to services (and technology).

Just as in any business plan, this book is not set in stone. It is a work in progress that will develop and change to reflect the changes in our society. I hope that you the reader, will not only read, but become a participant in creating this vision of “Future Namibia”.

Future Namibia Mission Statement

“Develop the tools and systems to assist the management of Namibia (government, civil society and private sector) in providing access to services and technologies to allow maximum quality of life to all who live here.”

Milton Louw

14 August 2011

Email friend

(Dedicated to Jaqueline)

Although you are a friend of mine

And letters we exchange 

I would not know you on the street 

And doesn't that seem strange?

You hold a place within my life

Unusual and unique

We share ideals and special dreams

And still we do not speak

I picture what I think you are

Perhaps you picture me?

An intriguing game for both of us

For someone we cannot see.

So for this friendship we possess

We owe this mail a debt

Perhaps the charm lies in the fact

That we have never met.

Think out of the Box

You are driving along in your car on a wild, stormy night. You pass by a bus stop, and you see three people waiting for the bus:

1. An old lady who looks as if she is about to die.

2. An old friend who once saved your life.

3. The perfect man (or) woman you have been dreaming about.

Which one would you choose to offer a ride to, knowing that there could only be one passenger in your car?

Think before you continue reading. This is a moral/ethical dilemma that was once actually used as part of a job application.

You could pick up the old lady, because she is going to die, and thus you should save her first; or you could take the old friend because he once saved your life, and this would be the perfect chance to pay him back. However, you may never be able to find your perfect dream lover again.

The candidate who was hired (out of 200 applicants) had no trouble coming up with his answer.

He simply answered: "I would give the car keys to my old friend, and let him take the lady to the hospital. I would stay behind and wait for the bus with the woman of my dreams."

Never forget to "Think Outside of the Box."

Swearing at the Namibia Music Awards 2011

The profane language by a certain artist, formerly known as Lady May (she is no lady), has sparked a lot of debate on the various Internet forums such as Twitter and Facebook. I am sure it is also a topic in many people's houses during this weeekend, and will be amply covered by our newspapers during the week. 

My first reaction when she made the comment (I do watch NBC), was to laugh. The artist obviously did not have any idea what the meaning of the words were, or the insult she was trying to convey. After all, did she really mean, to refer to the audience as people who participates in sexual intercourse with their mother?  

Then I did a double take. How do I explain to a child in the audience (at home) what she meant by this? Must I tell the child the truth that this artist believes we are engaged in sexual acts, or should I just answer, "she's swearing, and does not mean it"?

Thats when I got angry. Why should I be forced to make excuses for someone else? This artists is dependent on us as consumers to buy her music. Thus her behaviour is unacceptable. 

As a consumer, I believe its my money and I will use it where I am treated as king. So no Lady May, no business that swears at me will get my money.

Some encouragement in the workplace

DON’T LOOK TO BECOME A PERSON OF SUCCESS, LOOK INSTEAD TO BECOME A PERSON OF VALUE!

 There was a farmer who collected horses; he only needed one more breed to complete his collection. One day, he found out that his neighbour had the particular horse breed he needed. So, he constantly bothered his neighbour until he sold it to him. A month later, the horse became ill and he called the veterinarian, who said: 

- Well, your horse has a virus. He must take this medicine for three days.. I’ll come back on the 3rd day and if he’s not better, we’re going to have to put him down. 

Nearby, the pig listened closely to their conversation. 

The next day, they gave him the medicine and left. The pig approached the horse and said: 

- Be strong, my friend. Get up or else they’re going to put you to sleep! 

On the second day, they gave him the medicine and left. The pig came back and said: 

- Come on buddy, get up or else you're going to die! Come on, I'll help you get up. Let’s go! One, two, three... 

On the third day, they came to give him the medicine and the vet said: 

- Unfortunately, we’re going to have to put him down tomorrow. Otherwise, the virus might spread and infect the other horses. 

After they left, the pig approached the horse and said: 

- Listen pal, it's now or never! Get up, come on! Have courage! Come on! Get up! Get up! That’s it, slowly! Great! Come on, one, two, three... Good, good. Now faster, come on.... Fantastic! Run, run more! Yes! Yay! Yes! You did it, you’re a champion!!! 

All of a sudden, the owner came back, saw the horse running in the field and began shouting: 

- It’s a miracle! My horse is cured. This deserves a party. Let's kill the pig! 

Points for reflection: this often happens in the workplace. Nobody truly knows which employee actually deserves the merit of success, or who’s actually contributing the necessary support to make things happen. 

LEARNING TO LIVE WITHOUT RECOGNITION IS A SKILL! 

If anyone ever tells you that your work is unprofessional, remember: amateurs built the Ark and professionals built the Titanic.

DON’T LOOK TO BECOME A PERSON OF SUCCESS, LOOK INSTEAD TO BECOME A PERSON OF VALUE!

(Thanks to my sister Arlene for passing along)

Namibian Facebook Fan Pages - 16H30 on June 4 2011

1. The Dogg 26 560
2. NAMIBIA 15 341
3. MTC Namibia 7 474
4. Namibia is the most… 7 326
5. Stop Animal Hunting… 5 784
6. INamibia 4 187
7. www.exposenewspaper.com 3 566
8. My Namibia 3 201
9. namibia-travel.it 2 431
10. Namibian Sun 2 304
11. We are Namibia! 2 287
12. Lady May 2 263
13. www.swapoparty.org 2 165
14. Republikein 2 147
15. SPCA Windhoek, NAMIBIA 1 986
16. Travelstart Namibia 1 652
17. Hilton Windhoek 1 605
18. Namibia - Where to Stay 986
19. Pneumatix Namibia 943
20. Namibia Wildlife Resorts… 901
21. Namibia Annual Music… 761
22. Namibia Geographical… 705
23. KTM Namibia 683
24. Voices of Namibia 668
25. Update Namibia NBC 549
26. Polytechnic of Namibia 416
27. Travelyard: Camping in… 408
28. Goethe-Zentrum/NaDS… 404
29. Conservancy Safaris… 360
30. Vespa Namibia 305
31. Namibia Breweries Ltd 267
32. Ultimate Safaris Namibia 266
33. Namibia On Foot 259
34. Black Economic… 253
35. NBIC Namibia 247
36. Herbalife Namibia 225
37. consumer news namibia 221
38. Rally for Democracy and… 143
39. Namibia National Youth… 138
40. Dr Tjitunga Elijah… 120
41. Telecom Namibia 66
42. Milton Louw - Namibian… 60
43. National Youth Council… 52
44. Linux Namibia 50
45. Namibia Information and… 41
46. Institute of Management… 40

We Remember: Before, Now, and Later

The past:

“Those who control the past, control the future.” (George Orwell, 1984)

How do representations of the past affect our understanding of it? How are historical representations incorporated into collective memory? To what degree are ideas of national identity embedded in collective memory, and what role do museums and social online media play in the creation of this collective memory?

Too many times, leaders and nations have dwelled in the past, which has handicapped the immense potential of the present, instead of using knowledge of the past advantageously towards the future.

In conclusion, history has proved that it cannot disappear. Wars can never disappear. Poverty can never disappear. Sickness can never disappear. Corruption can never disappear. Yet our connected history has produced success, happiness, growth, and prosperity. History has shown contrasts, andNamibia, the country we are so fortunate to 

live in, advocates the diversity of every individual. In the words of Shakespeare, “What is past is prologue.”  Indeed, the future of mankind will build upon what it has already established. As time progresses, the common public memory of the past will continue to fuse and intertwine all nations’ destinies together based on what each individual accomplishes now, in the present.  

Paraphrased: http://www.greatquestions.com/winners/en/Microsoft%20Word%20-%20AnnaBetkaessay.pdf

Now is the time to look at what is our common memory - and include all sides of the wars as part and parcel of one nation. And learn to use our differences to map a path for the future.

In a tight spot of debt

Many years ago in a small Indian village,a farmer had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to a village moneylender. The moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the farmer’s beautiful daughter. So he proposed a bargain.

He said he would forgo the farmer’s debt if he could marry his daughter. Both the farmer and his daughter were horrified by the proposal. So the cunning money-lender suggested that they let providence decide the matter.

He told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty money bag. Then the girl would have to pick one pebble from the bag.

1. If she picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father’s debt would be forgiven.
2. If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father’s debt would still be forgiven.
3. But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail.

They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the farmer’s field. As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag.He then asked the girl to pick a pebble from the bag.

Now, imagine that you were standing in the field. What would you have done if you were the girl? If you had to advise her, what would you have told her?

Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:

1. The girl should refuse to take a pebble.
2. The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose the money-lender as a cheat.
3. The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order to save her father from his debt and imprisonment.

What would you recommend to the girl to do?

Well, here is what she did…

The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles.

“Oh, how clumsy of me,” she said. “But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked.”

Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she had picked the white one.

And since the money-lender dared not admit his dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an extremely advantageous one!

Conclusion of the Story

Most complex problems do have a solution. It is only that we don’t attempt to think.

When the mind is alert, sharp and calm while facing any problem, there definitely would crop a good solution to it whereas if the mind is too agitated, depressed and fidgety, the brain loses its ability of positive “thinking” and everything seems blank and bleak with no solution that the mind forces a person to take drastic and negative measures like commit suicide or a crime as an immediate solution.

If we can understand the problem, the answer will come out of it because the answer is not separate from the problem!

Also, the important thing about a problem is not its solution, but the strength we gain in finding the solution!

Next time you face a problem, consciously make an attempt to think more clearly, cleverly and calmly…and you will surely find the best solution for it.

Many years ago in a small Indian village,a farmer had the misfortune of owing a large sum of money to a village moneylender. The moneylender, who was old and ugly, fancied the farmer’s beautiful daughter. So he proposed a bargain.

He said he would forgo the farmer’s debt if he could marry his daughter. Both the farmer and his daughter were horrified by the proposal. So the cunning money-lender suggested that they let providence decide the matter.

He told them that he would put a black pebble and a white pebble into an empty money bag. Then the girl would have to pick one pebble from the bag.

1. If she picked the black pebble, she would become his wife and her father’s debt would be forgiven.
2. If she picked the white pebble she need not marry him and her father’s debt would still be forgiven.
3. But if she refused to pick a pebble, her father would be thrown into jail.

They were standing on a pebble strewn path in the farmer’s field. As they talked, the moneylender bent over to pick up two pebbles. As he picked them up, the sharp-eyed girl noticed that he had picked up two black pebbles and put them into the bag.He then asked the girl to pick a pebble from the bag.

Now, imagine that you were standing in the field. What would you have done if you were the girl? If you had to advise her, what would you have told her?

Careful analysis would produce three possibilities:

1. The girl should refuse to take a pebble.
2. The girl should show that there were two black pebbles in the bag and expose the money-lender as a cheat.
3. The girl should pick a black pebble and sacrifice herself in order to save her father from his debt and imprisonment.

What would you recommend to the girl to do?

Well, here is what she did…

The girl put her hand into the moneybag and drew out a pebble. Without looking at it, she fumbled and let it fall onto the pebble-strewn path where it immediately became lost among all the other pebbles.

“Oh, how clumsy of me,” she said. “But never mind, if you look into the bag for the one that is left, you will be able to tell which pebble I picked.”

Since the remaining pebble is black, it must be assumed that she had picked the white one.

And since the money-lender dared not admit his dishonesty, the girl changed what seemed an impossible situation into an extremely advantageous one!

Conclusion of the Story

Most complex problems do have a solution. It is only that we don’t attempt to think.

When the mind is alert, sharp and calm while facing any problem, there definitely would crop a good solution to it whereas if the mind is too agitated, depressed and fidgety, the brain loses its ability of positive “thinking” and everything seems blank and bleak with no solution that the mind forces a person to take drastic and negative measures like commit suicide or a crime as an immediate solution.

If we can understand the problem, the answer will come out of it because the answer is not separate from the problem!

Also, the important thing about a problem is not its solution, but the strength we gain in finding the solution!

Next time you face a problem, consciously make an attempt to think more clearly, cleverly and calmly…and you will surely find the best solution for it.

Namibian Facebook Fan Pages - 18H30 on May 30 2011

1. NAMIBIA 15 254
2. MTC Namibia 7 444
3. INamibia 4 063
4. www.exposenewspaper.com 3 558
5. My Namibia 3 200
6. Namibian Sun 2 294
7. Republikein 2 146
8. SPCA Windhoek, NAMIBIA 1 982
9. Travelstart Namibia 1 648
10. Hilton Windhoek 1 404
11. Pneumatix Namibia 942
12. Namibia Wildlife Resorts… 883
13. Polytechnic of Namibia 416
14. Vespa Namibia 305
15. Namibia Breweries Ltd 267
16. Black Economic… 253
17. NBIC Namibia 247
18. Herbalife Namibia 225
19. consumer news namibia 221
20. Milton Louw - Namibian… 60
21. National Youth Council… 52
22. Linux Namibia 50
23. Namibia Information and… 41
24. Institute of Management… 40

If you want to add your page, please drop me a mail.

Internet Friends - Author unknown

(Dedicated to Jaqueline)

Although you are a friend of mine

And letters we exchange 

I would not know you on the street 

And doesn't that seem strange?

You hold a place within my life

Unusual and unique

We share ideals and special dreams

And still we do not speak

I picture what I think you are

Perhaps you picture me?

An intriguing game for both of us

For someone we cannot see.

So for this friendship we possess

We owe this mail a debt

Perhaps the charm lies in the fact

That we have never met.

Job Interview Question

You are driving along in your car on a wild, stormy night. You pass by a bus stop, and you see three people waiting for the bus:

1. An old lady who looks as if she is about to die.

2. An old friend who once saved your life.

3. The perfect man (or) woman you have been dreaming about.

Which one would you choose to offer a ride to, knowing that there could only be one passenger in your car?

Think before you continue reading. This is a moral/ethical dilemma that was once actually used as part of a job application.

You could pick up the old lady, because she is going to die, and thus you should save her first; or you could take the old friend because he once saved your life, and this would be the perfect chance to pay him back. However, you may never be able to find your perfect dream lover again.

The candidate who was hired (out of 200 applicants) had no trouble coming up with his answer.

He simply answered: "I would give the car keys to my old friend, and let him take the lady to the hospital. I would stay behind and wait for the bus with the woman of my dreams."

Never forget to "Think Outside of the Box."

Namibian Citizens' Emergency Flood Relief Campaign

Dear compatriots and friends

Namibia Cares was formally launched on the 14th of April 2011 by a number of caring Namibian citizens to assist the victims of the unprecedented floods in our country. We are writing to let you know how you can join the growing movement of human solidarity with the tens of thousands of affected residents of Namibia. We believe that every person in Namibia cares, and, if given the chance, would want to help in his or own way.

Today, more than 13,000 persons remain in relocation centres, more than 200 schools remain closed, and more than one hundred lives have been lost due to the floods. It is expected that the relocation centres will continue to operate at least until the end of June in some areas and until the end of August in others. When the flood waters subside and the relocated persons are able to return to their homes, they will face the prospect of clearing debris, rebuilding their homes, replanting their crops and replacing lost personal property.

We therefore appeal to you to donate, as you see fit:

• In-kind contributions of clothes, bedding, canned food, cooking and eating utensils, dish, laundry and body soaps, writing pads, pencils and crayons, toys, shovels, rakes, refuse bags or any other useful items; or

• A cash donation to one of the accounts listed below. (A law firm, Dr. Weder, Kauta and Hoveka, is receiving the funds to assure proper control).

You may bring your in-kind donations to our office at Khomas Regional Council headquarters or you may phone our office for collection or more information.

 We also invite you to join our efforts. You can

• place collection boxes at your place of work or school;

• ask your church or organisation to appeal to its members for contributions. (We can supply collection boxes or stickers for your own boxes)

• send this letter to your email contacts or to your friends on Facebook.

You are welcome to attend our weekly Monday meetings at 5pm at the Khomas Regional Council Office or to phone the office for more details. We need many more volunteers, and your humble contribution will be very much appreciated.

Kind regards,

Helmut K Angula (National Coordinator)

Deputy Coordinators: Tangeni Angula - Paul Smit - Vicki Erenstein ya Toivo

Patrons: Hon. Libertine Amathila Hon. Ben Amathila, Hon. Johan De Waal, Hon. Samuel Nuuyoma

Trust Accounts

Name: Dr. Weder, Kauta and Hoveka, Inc.

Ref: Namibia Cares

Bank Windhoek

1026 643 801

Branch code 48-19-72-00

First National Bank

Acc. No 6201 677 2578

Branch code: 281 072

http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100002249128294

When interacting on Facebook

Here are the most important things to keep in mind when interacting on Facebook:

• Choose your friends wisely because it is considered rude to delete someone as a friend. If you're unsure, it's more acceptable to not accept the initial invitation.
• Poke carefully because this interactive features means different things to different people. It depends on what your relationship is with the person originally. It can be used as a business tool to build rapport with colleagues and clients, but it is more famous for having a sexual connotation.
• Respect people's privacy, especially if you are a parent and your teenager is on Fcebook. Instead of asking to be your teenager's friend using Facebook (which could be perceived as an invasion of privacy), instead tell them you set up an account and let them decide whether to become your Facebook friend.
• Be aware of what you post because a message posted on the "wall" section at the bottom of a profile page can be read by anyone. A general rule is that if it's not appropriate for someone's boss to read, then don't post it. (FYI: If someone posts something questionable on YOUR wall, you can delete it.)
• Be sure and upload a photo of yourself as this really helps people to connect a face with a name. Also, it's much more appealing to look at a photo than the default blue question mark used for those who don't post a picture.
• Take advantage of the high degree of control over what people see. For example, you can adjust your privacy settings if you want to limit who can and cannot see certain photos.
• Don't overdo friend requests. Even though Facebook makes it easy to upload your contacts (and automatically issue friend requests to a whole address list) it's not meant to be misused.
• Another no-no is flooding your network with status updates. Each new update you post appears on your friends' news feeds so it's best to show a little restraint (as in no more than two updates per day).
• Finally, don't be creepy in the sense that even if you share similar music interests with a nice 20-year-old, it doesn't mean she wants to be your friend. The best rule of thumb is to not make friend requests of strangers (especially ones who are significantly younger than you). Even if you know them, it's a better idea to wait and let young people take the lead.

The Racial Gap in the Namibian Healthcare System

Authors: Audrey Eisemann, Laura Overton and Tamara Siburg

Week 13

While Apartheid ended 21 years ago, as has been portrayed in many of these blog posts, the effects of Apartheid continue to be prevalent in Namibian society today. Those in Namibia who are black and coloured in general have fewer privileges and more obstacles than white Namibians. These privileges are highly due to the advantages gained by white Namibians through having generations of wealth in their families that many black and coloured Namibians do not have. While this is not true for 100% of the cases, it is true for enough to be an indicator of significant disadvantage.

This issue is no different when it comes to healthcare system. Those who are more wealthy have the privilege to have access to medical aid which enables them to utilize the private hospitals, while those with less privilege and who cannot afford medical aid must rely on under-funded, under-staffed, state hospitals. Since lack of wealth is one of the obstacles that many black and coloured people have to overcome in Namibia, many are forced to rely upon government run hospitals, and do not have access to the more technologically advanced and thorough healthcare at private hospitals.

This past week we visited a private hospital, Roman Catholic Hospital, and a government hospital, Katutura State Hospital. The differences in treatment due to funding and staff were blaringly obvious from the infrastructure, the equipment and the queues.

Roman Catholic Hospital is a privately-owned hospital nestled in the center of Windhoek. Their brochure states: “Our mission is to provide a Christian based quality nursing care service. We endeavor to provide compassionate health care for those suffering from illness and to help them find psychological and spiritual stability and peace” (Roman Catholic Hospital).They have a full staff of nurses and doctors with nurses there twenty four hours a day, and at least one doctor who is on duty at all times in the casualty department. Like in private hospitals in the United States, patients can be turned away. If patients do not have adequate medical aid, which is our version of health insurance, they will not be treated at the hospital. To be admitted to the Roman Catholic Hospital, a deposit covering the estimated cost of the procedure, service or operation is required. Throughout the semester we have learned about the inequality among races within Namibia that is left over from Apartheid. We have been taught that Namibia has the highest rate of inequality in the world. By charging such a high admission to be admitted to a private hospital, the segregation between different races within Namibia is perpetuated.

Katutura State Hospital is a state-run hospital. The government provides it with all of its funds. While at the hospital we noticed how impersonal the feeling of being in there was compared to the private Roman Catholic Hospital or even to state owned hospitals back home in the United States. One of the sisters that were showing us around at the Roman Catholic Hospital even told us that the state hospital is set up more like a business then a caring family. Due to socioeconomic inequalities, the lower class can only afford to go to the Katutura State Hospital. The most expensive price that on anything the hospital offers to its patients is 30 Namibian dollars. Staying overnight 1 night or even 3 weeks will both only cost a person 30 Namibian dollars. But if a patient needs to be in the hospital for a (photo: Outside of Katutura State Hospital) few days that means the more money they lose for missing work. When we asked why the hospital was so under staffed because they did not have the funds to pay the doctors and nurses a salary comparable to that of the private hospital. It is good for the patients without a lot of money needing care to come to the hospital because cheap prices, yet if the hospital can’t keep the doctors and nurses then one would have to ask what quality of care do the patients receive at the state hospital and how time efficient for the patient would it be.

Constitution of SWAPO PARTY

Adopted by the First Congress of SWAPO PARTY in an Independent Namibia, December 6 – 12, 1991 and amended by SWAPO PARTY EXTRA ORDINARY CONGRESS, 27 – 28 August 1998 Windhoek, Republic of Namibia

CHAPTER I

ARTICLE I

THE NAME

The name of the party is the SWAPO PARTY, hereinafter to be referred to as SWAPO PARTY. The National Headquarters of the Party shall be situated in the Capital City of the Republic of Namibia.

ARTICLE II

Definition

SWAPO PARTY is a mass based political Party born and selected in the crucible of a popular and heroic struggle for national independence. It is founded on the principles of democracy, solidarity, freedom, social justice and progress.

ARTICLE III

A. PREAMBLE

(1) Whereas the Namibian people have emerged victorious from the struggle against colonialism;

(2) Whereas Namibia has taken its rightful place among the free nations of the world as a sovereign state;

(3) Whereas the establishment of a democratic political system in the country has brought the role of political parties from the back of the burner to primacy of place in our nation’s political life;

(4)  Whereas a political party is an important agency in a modern society for the articulation society’s aspirations, developmental goals, objectives, and political communication for the training of future political leaders;

(5) Whereas the process of democratization of the Namibian society and elimination from it of the pernicious of the apartheid past;

(6) Whereas the Namibian people have a strong desire to strengthen the unity of the nation and the independence of the country through common consensus of democratic values and patriotism;

(7) Whereas the mobilization of the productive energies of the masses of the Namibian people is the critical factor in the reconstruction of our society; and

(8) Whereas the exploitation of one person by another, individual or as a class, including gender inequality, is unacceptable in an independent  and democratic Namibia;

B. Now, therefore, SWAPO PARTY declares its aims and objectives as follows:

(1) to unite the people of Namibia, irrespective of race, religion, sex, or ethnic origin into a democratic, vibrant and peace-loving nation;

(2) to defend and protect Namibia’s hard-won freedom and independence;

(3) to foster a sense of  common purpose and collective destiny among the Namibian people;

(4) to combat retrogressive tendencies of tribalism, ethnicity, nepotism, racism, sexism, chauvinism, regionalism, personality cult, etc.;

(5) to instill in the Namibian people a spirit of patriotism  and to develop in them the consciousness that they are masters of the own destiny;

(6) to educate the people to uphold, with honour and pride, Namibia’s emblems which constitute the symbols of the country’s sovereignty, the constitution, the national flag, the national anthem, the coat of arms, etc.;

(7) to promote the development of the culture of the Namibian people through the reconstruction of the nation’s system of education, the encouragement of cultural exchanges with other nations as well as incentives to Namibians who 

show potential for technological and artistic creativity;

(8) to ensure that Namibia works, on the one hand, in close cooperation with other African states, to advance the cause of African unity and, with all the other states to promote world peace and security, on the other;

(9) to fight under development, poverty, illiteracy and disease;

(10) to promote accelerated economic development and to create a balance and interlinkages between the primary and the secondary sectors of our economy in order to promote self-reliance and the upliftment of the standard of living of 

the vast majority of the Namibian people;

(11) to invest by way of acquiring shares or otherwise in any viable business, venture or enterprise; and

(12) to establish companies, close corporations and any other business organization, either wholly owned by the PARTY or the PARTY in partnership with either organizations  or institutions, with the view to generating funds necessary to ensure the smooth function and operations of the PARTY.

CHAPTER II

ARCICLE IV

Membership

There shall be two categories of SWAPO PARTY membership:

(a) individual membership; and 

(b) affiliate membership.

A. Individual Membership

(1) Membership of SWAPO Party shall be open to every Namibian citizen who accepts the aims and objective of SWAPO Party as set-out in Article III above and who, in addition is of the age 18 years and above and who is not a member of any other Political Party.

(2) A person wishing to become a member of SWAPO Party shall make his or her application and submit it to the Secretary of the appropriate Branch of the Party. He or she must be recommended by two members of the party who 

must have known him or her a minimum period of two (2) years.

(3) Upon admission to membership, a member shall pay and admission fee to the Party and a receipt thereof shall be given. The amount of the admission fee shall be determined from time by the Central Committee of SWAPO Party. In 

addition, he or she shall pay an annual membership fee that will also be determined from time by the Central Committee.

(4) Membership in SWAPO Party may be lost through:

(a) resignation, or

(b) expulsion under Article VI (13) and VII (10)

5. In the event of either resignation or expulsion, no refund of admission or membership fees shall be made.

B. Affiliate membership

(1) Affiliate Membership of SWAPO Party shall be open to any bona fide sociocultural organization (e.g., Trade Unions, student union or professional organization) which accepts the aims and objectives of SWAPO Party as set in Article III of this constitution.

(2) Any organization wishing to become an affiliate member of SWAPO Party shall in writing, enclosing a resolution of its organization to that effect, as well as a copy of its constitution to the Secretary-General of SWAPO Party.

(3) The Secretary-Genera of SWAPO Party shall place the application before the political bureau of SWAPO Party which shall whether or not to grant membership.

(4) Upon admission to membership, the organization shall pay a specified admission fee. In addition such organization shall pay a specified annual membership fee to be determined from time to time by the Political Bureau of SWAPO Party.

(5) An affiliate organization may be called upon by SWAPO Party to make such financial contribution towards the funds of the Party as may be agreed upon between SWAPO Party and that organization.

(6) Affiliate membership may be lost through;

(a) withdrawal by the organization or

(b) expulsion from SWAPO Party under Article VI (13) and VII (10)

(7) No affiliate organization may withdraw from SWAPO Party unless it has given 

notice to that effect six month prior to such withdrawal.

(8) No refund of admission or membership fees shall be made upon withdrawal or 

expulsion.

C. Rights and Obligations

(1) A member of SWAPO Party has a right:

(a) to demand the fulfillment of what is established in this constitution, as well as the implementation of resolutions, decisions, directives and agreements of the Party.

(b) To participate in Congress and meetings of SWAPO Party organs, wings and affiliated organization to which he or she belongs and to freely discuss in them the policy and activities of the Party.

(c) To put forward proposals and defend his or her opinions before a decision is reached on the matter under discussion.

(d) To vote at meetings on decisions to be taken in relation to matter discussed;

(e) To elect and be elected to positions of authority in the subject to restrictions set out in this Constitution.

(f) To state matters and address questions, petitions and proposals to the appropriate organs;

(g) To receive concrete and timely answers to his or her proposals; and 

(h) To express in such meetings his or her opinions freely and without fear or favour and to contribute to discussions and participate in the adoption of the decisions of those organs.

(2) A member of SWAPO Party has the following obligations:

(a) to act dedication and commitment in the interests of the Party and the national interest of Namibians;

(b) to be of exemplary conduct and to act in a spirit of comradeship towards other members of the Party;

(c) to respect, take care of and protect the property of the Party;

(d) to attend meetings of the Party called by the organs he or she belongs to, as well as any other meetings he or she may be summoned by the Party to attend;

(e) to observe and comply with decisions, resolutions and directives of the majority, even though he or she have voted against them or held a diverging opinion during the discussions;

(f) to contribute to the strengthening of the organic unity of the Party and the political consciousness of its rank and file;

(g) to be ever vigilant against infiltration of the ranks of the Party by persons not worth the honour of SWAPO Party membership;

(h) to oppose factionalism and defend the party;

(i) to strive constantly to explain the aims and objectives, policies and the political direction as of the party to the masses;

(j) to promote and exercise criticism without fear and self-criticism with a view to overcoming any defects, errors or deviations in the Party;

(k) to be sincere and honest; and 

(l) to promote the Party’s secrets.

CHAPTER III

PARTY STRUCTURE

ARTICLE V

The Organs

THE CONGRESS

(1) There shall be a Congress of SWAPO Party.

(2) The Congress shall be the supreme organ of the Party.

(3) The Congress of SWAPO Party shall be composed of:

(a) all members of the Central Committee;

(b) then delegates elected from each of the Regional Executive 

Committee by the Regional Conferences.

(c) Three delegates elected from each district executive 

committee by the District Conferences.

(d) Fifteen delegates from SWAPO Party Youth League and SWAPO Party Elder’s Council who have been duly elected 

by their respective Congresses;

(e) Twenty delegates from SWAPO Party Women’s Council who have been elected by their respective congresses;

(f) Fifteen delegates from each of the affiliate organizations; and 

(g) With the exception of an extra-ordinary congress, thirty specially invited personalities who must have outstanding 

contribution to the work and development of SWAPO Party but are non office-bearing members of the Party. This 

category shall have the right to participate fully in the deliberation of the congress but will not have the right to vote.

Provides that in the event of an extra-ordinary Congress of the SWAPO Party where the holding of such congresses and conferences may not be feasible due to financial constraints or urgency of the subject-matter to be discussed, SWAPO Party Wings, regions and districts shall be entitled to adopt a different formula from which is prescribed in this Article of 

selecting delegates to the extra-ordinary congress; provided further such formula has been agreed with the Secretary General.

(4) the Congress shall have the power to set policy of the party, review and asses the overall activities and development of the Party.

(5) The Congress shall have the power to confirm, amend, repudiate or revoke any decision made by any organ of the Party.

(6) The Congress shall evaluate the work of the Central Committee, consider, adopt or reject reports including financial reports and recommendation, thereof.

(7) The Congress shall determine the programmatic orientation of the Party.

(8) The Congress shall have the power to adopt and amend the Constitution of the Party; a two-third majority of the votes shall be required for such purpose. Proposed amendments to the Constitution shall be forwarded to the central Committee not later than three (3) months prior to the holding of the congress.

(9) The Congress shall elect the Central Committee, the President, Vice-President, Secretary General and Deputy Secretary General of the Party.

(10) The Congress of the party shall be held after every five years.

(11) The Congress shall be called by the Central Committee not later than three months prior to the holding of such Congress.

(12) The Central Committee may on its own initiative, or at the request of at east two-thirds majority of all regional executive Committees, convene an extra-ordinary congress of the Party.

(13) The agenda of an congress shall be proposed by the initiators of such a Congress.

(14) The Extra-ordinary Congress shall be held not later than two months after the proposal for its convocation has been made.

(15) The quorum of the Congress shall be a simple majority or more than half of the voting delegates.

(16) The Congress will elect its officials and frame rules for its proceedings.

ARTICLE VI

The Central Committee

(1) There shall be a Central Committee of SWAPO Party.

(2) The Central Committee shall be the highest organ of authority between two congresses and its Chairperson shall be the President of the Party.

(3) The Central Committee shall consist of 70 members, including the President, Vice-president, the Secretary general and deputy Secretary General who shall be elected directly by the congress, six (6) to be appointed by the president, 

three (3) elected secretaries for the wings and thirteen elected regional Coordinators.

(4) A minimum of ten (10) years of continuous membership in SWAPO Party shall be required for a member to be eligible for membership of the Central Committee.

(5) The Central Committee shall discuss, adopt, review, amend or annul its own resolutions, decisions and recommendations and/or those of the Political Bureau.

(6) The Central Committee shall convene the congress of SWAPO Party.

(7) The Central Committee shall meet annually or as often as it shall be requested by the Political Bureau.

(8) All members of the Central Committee shall be compulsory required to attend all meetings of the central Committee, except those who may be on specific and urgent missions or duties of the party or its government.

(9) A member of the Central Committee who fails to be present at three consecutive meetings without valid reasons shall cease to be a member of the Central Committee.

(10) The Central Committee shall elect from amongst its members, the Political Bureau and all national officers, other than the president, the Vice-President, Secretary General and deputy Secretary General.

(11) The Central Committee shall consider current of the policy and practice of SWAPO Party, adjust its political view, respond timely to new problems and determine concrete political stands towards solutions to such problems.

(12) The Central Committee shall determine the most appropriate ways and means of promoting the political education and development of the cadres of the Party.

(13) With the exception of the President, the Vice President, the Secretary General, the deputy Secretary General, the Central committee shall have the power to expel by two-third majority an affiliate organization for serious misconduct or 

violation of the Constitution.

(14) The Central Committee shall ensure that the account-books, accounts, registers or statements which are kept or prepared in connection with the collection, receipt, custody, banking, payment or issue of money, securities, 

equipment and stores are audited by professional external auditors who shall be appointed by the Political Bureau.

(15) The Central Committee shall set a cut off date for the party’s financial year in order to ensure the examination of revenues, disbursement of funds and use of other property of the party by external auditors.

(16) The Central Committee shall approve the Annual budget of the Party’

(17) The Central Committee shall have the power to establish as many  subcommittees as may required.

(18) The Central Committee shall be accountable to the Congress

(19) The quorum of the Central Committee shall be a simple majority of its members.

(20) No Party member shall be eligible for election or appointment as a members of the Central Committee unless such a member meets the requirements of Article VI (4) of this Constitution.

ARTICLE VII

The Political Bureau

(1) There shall be a Political bureau of the Central Committee of SWAPO Party.

(2) The Political Bureau shall be responsible for policy formulation in the period between Central Committee.

(3) The Political bureau shall be the steering committee of the central Committee, directing the political and programmatic agenda of the Party.

(4) The composition of the Political bureau shall be 21 members, including the President of the party who will be its Chairperson, the Vice  –President, the Secretary General and the Deputy secretary General.(5) The Political Bureau shall be responsible for putting into practice all decisions, resolutions and directives of the Congress and the Central  Committee.

(6) The Political Bureau shall be responsible to and render account periodically to the Central Committee on its own work, on that of the Secretariat as well as on that of the regional Executive Committees.

(7) The Political Bureau shall appoint a Secretariat which shall assist it in executing the day to day work of the Party.

(8) The Political Bureau shall supervise and control the use and maintenance of SWAPO Party funds and books of accounts at the Headquarters, the regional, the district and the branch levels of the Party.

(9) The Political Bureau shall appoint an external auditor to audit the Party’s financial records and accounts.

(10) With the exception of the president, the Vice-President, the Secretary General and the Deputy Secretary general, the Political bureau shall by two-third majority of its members have authority to expel any member of the Party or 

suspend any affiliate organinsation for serious misconduct or violation of the Constitution and respect of an affiliate organization refer to the Central Committee for final decision.

(11) The Political Bureau shall have the power to call extra-ordinary meeting of the Central Committee as well as of the Regional Conferences.

(12) The Political Bureau shall appoint officials to undertake party missions on the recommendation of the Secretariat.

(13) The Political Bureau shall have the power to appoint acting regional officials in case of unresolved disputes in the Regional Executive Committee pending the holding of elections.

(14) The Political bureau shall meet at least once a month and as often as it may be requested by the Secretariat or by a Regional Executive Committee.

(15) A member of the Political Bureau shall have the right to propose the holding of an emergency meeting or the Political Bureau.

(16) The Political Bureau shall have the power to appoint Deputies to National officers whose duties and functions are defined under Article IX.

(17) The Political Bureau shall appoint directors of all Party Companies.

(18) The Political Bureau shall receive and approve the audited accounts of Party companies not later than six months after close of financial year.

(19) All members of the Political Bureau shall be compulsory required to attend all meetings of the Political Bureau meetings, except those who may be on specified and urgent missions or duties for the Party.

(20) Any member of the political Bureau who absents himself from three consecutive meetings without valid reasons shall immediately cease to be a member of the Political Bureau.

(21) The quorum of the Political bureau shall be a simple majority of its members. 

No Party member shall be eligible for election to the political bureau unless he or she meets the requirements of Article VI (4) of this Constitution.

ARTICLE VIII

NATIONAL OFFICERS

Besides the President, the vice-President, the Secretary General, and the Deputy Secretary General, there shall be the following National Officers who shall be elected by the Central committee from amongst its members:

(1) Secretary for External relations;

(2) Secretary for Defence and Security;

(3) Secretary for Economic Affairs

(4) Secretary for Finance;

(5) Secretary for Information and Mobilization

(6) Secretary for Labour

(7) Secretary for Education, Culture and Sport;

(8) Secretary for Legal Affairs

(9) Secretary for Heath and Social Services;

(10) Secretary for Transport;

(11) Secretary for Environmental Affairs;

(12) Secretary for SWAPO Party Youth League

(13) Secretary for SWAPO Party Women’s Council;

(14) Secretary for SWAPO Party Elders Council.

ARTICLE IX

Duties and functions of the National Officers

(A) THE PRESIDENT

(1) The President of the SWAPO Party shall be the leader and the Chief Executive Officer of the party.

(2) He or She shall be the Chairperson of the Central Committee, the Political Bureau and the Congress.

(3) He or She shall conduct his or her duties and functions in consultation with the Political Bureau and the Secretary General.

(4) He or She shall be accountable to the Central Committee and its Political Bureau.

(5) He or She shall be elected the congress by secret ballot for a five-year term of office.

(6) He or She shall be eligible for re-election.

(7) He or She may be removed from office by resolution of the Congress, supported by at least two-third majority of the delegates.

(8) No Party member shall be eligible for election to the political bureau unless he or she meets the requirements of Article VI (4) of this Constitution.

(B) VICE-PRESIDENT

(1) The Vice-President shall be the principal assistant to the President in the discharge of this or her duties and function in the Party.

(2) He or She shall exercise al such functions as may be delegated to him or her by the President.

(3) He or She shall exercise the same powers and carry out all the duties and functions of the President in the absence of the President.

(4) He or She shall be accountable to the Central Committee and its Political Bureau.

(5) He or She shall be elected  by  secret ballot  by Congress  for a five-year term of office.

(6) He or She shall be eligible for re-election.

(7) He or She may be removed from office by Congress, supported by at least two-third majority of the delegates.

(8) No Party member shall be eligible for election to the political bureau unless he or she meets the requirements of Article VI (4) of this Constitution.

(C) SECRETARY-GENERAL

(1)           The Secretary General shall be responsible for the external co-ordination and streamlining of the political administrative activities of the Party.

(2)            He or She shall be secretary to the Central Committee and its Political Bureau.

(3)            He or She shall supervise the business of the Congress, the Central Committee and its Political Bureau. And shall ensure implementation of decisions of these organs.

(4)            He or She shall regularly visit regional offices and be in constant Correspondence with all the Regional Executive officers so as to acquaint himself or herself with the problems facing such offices.

(5)            He or She shall maintain regularly a register of the party’s membership.

(6)            He or She shall be responsible for sending out invitations, by letter or other approved methods, to the Congress, the Central Committee and the Political Bureau.

(7)            He or She shall keep records, minutes and correspondences of meetings and decisions of the national and regional organs as well as Wings and Affiliate Organisations.

(8)            He or She shall be accountable to the Central Committee and its Political   Bureau.

(9)            He or She shall be elected by secret ballot by Congress for a five-year term of office.

(10) He or She shall be eligible for re-elections.

(11) He or she may be suspended from office by resolution of the Central  Committee supported by at east two-third majority of the members.

(12) No Party member shall be eligible for election to the Deputy SecretaryGeneral of SWAPO Party unless he or she meets the requirements of Article VI (4) of this Constitution

(D) DEPUTY SECRETARY GENERAL

(1) The Deputy Secretary-General shall be the principle assistant to the Secretary General.

(2) He or She shall exercise al such function as may be delegated to him or her by the Secretary General.

(3) He or She shall exercise the same powers and carry out al the duties and functions of the Secretary General in the absence of the Secretary General.

(4) He or She shall be accountable to the central Committee and its Political Bureau.

(5) He or She shall be elected by secret ballot by the Congress for a five-year term of office.

(6) He or She shall be eligible for re-election.

(7) He or she may be suspended from office by resolution of the Central Committee supported by at east two-third majority of the members.

(8) No Party member shall be eligible for election to the  Deputy SecretaryGeneral of SWAPO Party unless he or she meets the requirements of Article VI (4) of this Constitution.

(E) SECRETARY FOR EXTERNAL RELATIONS

(1) The Secretary for External relations shall be the spokesperson of the Party on foreign affairs and responsible for promoting friendship, co-operations and active solidarity with other progressive and democratic parties and 

movements throughout the world.

(2) He or she shall be responsible for foreign contacts of the Party.

(3) He or She shall be elected by secret ballot for a five-year term of office by the central Committee from amongst its members.

(4) He or She shall be eligible for re-election.

(5) He or she may be removed from office by resolution of the Central Committee supported by at least two-third majority of the members.

(6) He or She shall be accountable to the Central Committee and its Political Bureau.

(7) No Party member shall be eligible for election to the  Secretary for External affairs for SWAPO PARTY unless he or she meets the requirements of Article VI (4) of this Constitution.

(F) SECRETARY FOR DEFENCE AND SECURITY

(1) The Secretary for Defence and security shall be the party’s spokesperson on defence and security matters.

(2) He or she shall be accountable to the central Committee and its political Bureau.

(3) He or She shall be elected by secret ballot for five-year term of office by the Central Committee form amongst its members.

(4) He or She shall be eligible for re-election.

(5) He or she may be removed from office by resolution of the Central Committee supported by at least two-third majority of the members.

(6) No Party member shall be eligible for election to the  Secretary for Defence and Security for SWAPO Party unless he or she meets the requirements of Article VI (4) of this Constitution.

(G) SECRETARY FOR FINANCE

1) The Secretary for Finance shall be the Party’s spokesperson on finance matters.

2) He or She shall keep and maintain books of accounts, vouchers, financial documents and reports of the Party, and submit them to external auditing.

3) He or She shall prepare and present to the Political Bureau and the Central Committee, at the end of each financial year, up-to-date accounts of income and expenditure of the Party.

4) He or She shall have the power to check SWAPO Party banking accounts and books of accounts in the regional and district offices, and report the findings thereof to the Political Bureau.

5) He or She shall be responsible for making payments on behalf of SWAPO Party, and for keeping copies of all receipts thereof.

6) He or She shall prepare all cheques and payment vouchers.

7) He or She shall study possibilities and make proposals about the appropriate ways and means of raising funds for the Party.

8) He or she shall be co-signatory to al cheques at the National Headquarters.

9) He or She shall be accountable to the Central Committee and its Political Bureau.

10) He or She shall receive from al departments at the end of every financial year, their departmental expenditures of the previous year and their budgets for the ensuing year.

11) He or She shall be elected by secret ballot for five-year term of office by the Central Committee form amongst its members.

12) He or She shall be eligible for re-election.

13) He or she may be removed from office by resolution of the Central Committee supported by at least two-third majority of the members.

14) No Party member shall be eligible for election to the  Secretary for Finance of SWAPO Party unless he or she meets the requirements of Article VI (4) of this Constitution.

(H) SECRETARY FOR INFORMATION AND MOBILIZATION

(1) The Secretary for Information and Mobilization shall be the party’s spokesperson on media and communication matters, and shall be responsible for gathering, analyzing, publishing and disseminating information on the socio-economic and political conditions in Namibia.

(2) He or She shall be responsible for composing, editing and issuing SWAPO Party press releases and publications and for arranging press conferences as may be directed by the Central Committee, the Political bureau, or the President of SWAPO Party.

(3) He or She shall be accountable to the Central Committee and its Political Bureau.

(4) He or She shall be elected by secret ballot for five-year term of office by the Central Committee form amongst its members.

(5) He or She shall be eligible for re-election.

(6) He or she may be removed from office by resolution of the Central Committee supported by at least two-third majority of the members.

(7) No Party member shall be eligible for election to the  Secretary for Information and Mobilization for SWAPO Party unless he or she meets the requirements of Article VI (4) of this Constitution.

(I) THE SECRETARY FOR EDUCATION, CULTURE AND SPORT

(1) The Secretary for Education, culture and sport shall be the party’s spokesperson on education, training and culture.

(2) He or She shall be responsible for the promotion of the country’s advancement in scientific knowledge, technical know-how and artistic creativity.

(3) He or She shall be accountable to the Central Committee and its Political Bureau.

(4) He or She shall be elected by secret ballot for five-year term of office by the Central Committee from amongst its members

(5) He or She shall be eligible for re-election.

(6) He or she may be removed from office by resolution of the Central Committee supported by at least two-third majority of the member.

(7) No Party member shall be eligible for election to the  Secretary for education, Culture and Sport of SWAPO Party unless he or she meets the requirements of Article VI (4) of this Constitution.

(J) SECRETARY FOR TRANSPORT

(1) The Secretary for Transport shall be the Party’s spokesperson on transport matters.(2) He or She shall be responsible for proper  use and maintenance of the vehicles of the Party.

(3) He or She shall be accountable to the Central Committee and its Political Bureau.

(4) He or She shall be accountable to the Central Committee and its Political Bureau He or She shall be elected by secret ballot for five-year term of office by the Central Committee form amongst its members.

(5) He or She shall be eligible for re-election.

(6) He or she may be removed from office by resolution of the Central Committee supported by at least two-third majority of the member

(7) No Party member shall be eligible for election to the  Secretary for Transport of SWAPO Party unless he or she meets the requirements of Article VI (4) of this Constitution.

(K) SECRETARY FOR LEGAL AFFAIRS

(1) The Secretary for Legal affairs shall be the party’s spokesperson on legal matters.

(2) He or She shall study the country’s laws and propose timely repeals or amendments to the laws and regulations, regulations, especially those that were used as instruments of oppression and expression and exploitation in 

Namibia.

(3) He or She shall be accountable to the Central Committee and its Political Bureau.

(4) He or She shall be elected by secret ballot for five-year term of office by the Central Committee form amongst its members.

(5) He or She shall be eligible for re-election.

(6) He or she may be removed from office by resolution of the Central Committee supported by at least two-third majority of the member

(7) No Party member shall be eligible for election to the  Secretary for SWAPO Party unless he or she meets the requirements of Article VI (4) of this Constitution.

(L) SECRETARY FOR ECONOMIC AFFAIRS

(1) The Secretary for Economic Affairs shall be the spokesperson of the party on economic matters.

(2) He or She shall study the potentialities and possibilities for an all-round and balance economic development of Namibia and make recommendations thereon to the Political Bureau.

(3) He or She shall be responsible for the establishment and development for Party enterprises.

(4) He or She shall be accountable to the Central Committee and its Political Bureau.(5) He or She shall be elected by secret ballot for five-year term of office by the Central Committee form amongst its members.

(6) He or She shall be eligible for re-election.

(7) He or she may be removed from office by resolution of the Central Committee supported by at least two-third majority of the member

(8) No Party member shall be eligible for election to the political bureau unless he or she meets the requirements of Article VI (4) of this Constitution.

(M) SECRETARY FOR LABOUR

(1) The Secretary for Labour shall be the spokesperson of the Party on labour matters.

(2) He or She shall study at all times the opinions, concerns and requirements and problems of the workers and make proposals as to the measure to be adopted to improve the situation of the workers and labour relations in the country.

(3) He or She shall be accountable to the Central Committee and its Political Bureau.

(4) He or She shall be elected by secret ballot for five-year term of office by the Central Committee form amongst its members.

(5) He or She shall be eligible for re-election.

(6) He or she may be removed from office by resolution of the Central Committee supported by at least two-third majority of the member

(7) No Party member shall be eligible for election to the Secretary for Labour for SWAPO Party unless he or she meets the requirements of Article VI (4) of this Constitution.

(N) SECRETARY FOR ENVIRONMENTAL AFFAIRS

(1) The Secretary for  Environmental  Affairs shall be the spokesperson on Environmental matters.

(2) He or She shall responsible for analyzing and monitoring the operation of factors affecting the environmental and to propose timely measures to be taken in order to protect the environment.

(3) He or She shall be accountable to the Central Committee and its Political Bureau.

(4) He or She shall be elected by secret ballot for five-year term of office by the Central Committee form amongst its members.

(5) He or She shall be eligible for re-election.

(6) He or she may be removed from office by resolution of the Central Committee supported by at least two-third majority of the member.

(7) No Party member shall be eligible for election to the  Secretary for Environmental Affairs for SWAPO Party  unless he or she meets the requirements of Article VI (4) of this Constitution.

(O) SECRETARY FOR SWAPO PARTY YOUTH LEAGUE

(1) The Secretary for SWAPO Party Youth League shall be the party’s  spokesperson on youth matters.

(2) He or She shall not be more than 45 years of age.

(3) He or she shall guide the activities of the SWAPO Party Youth League on the basis of the directives of the Political Bureau.

(4) He or She shall promote and coordinate contacts and solidarity between SWAPO Party youth league and other friendly youth organizations thought-out the world.

(5) He or She shall preside over SWAPO Party Youth League Congress and meetings.

(6) He or She shall be accountable to the Central Committee and its Political Bureau.

(7) He or she shall be elected by secret ballot for a five-year term of office by the Congress of SWAPO Party Youth League which shall take place prior to the congress of SWAPO Party.

(8) He or She shall be endorsed by the Congress of SWAPO Party.

(9) He or she shall be eligible for re-election.

(10) He or She may be suspended from office by resolution of the Central Committee supported by at least two-third majority of the member.

(11) No Party member shall be eligible for election to the  Secretary for SWAPO Party Youth League unless he or she meets the requirements of Article VI (4) of this Constitution.

(P) SECRETARY FOR SWAPO PARTY WOMEN’S COUNCIL

(1) The Secretary for SWAPO Party Women’s Council shall be the Party’s spokesperson on Women affairs.

(2) She shall be responsible for the articulation of SWAPO Party’s policies and the Political Programme among the Namibian Women.

(3) She shall supervise the activities of the SWAPO Party Women’s Council.

(4) She shall give guidance in formulation and execution of plans and programmes and design the specific interest of Namibian women.

(5) She shall preside over SWAPO Party Women’s Council Congress and meetings.

(6) She shall promote cooperation and solidarity with other progressive national and international women’s organizations.

(7) He or She shall be accountable to the Central Committee and its Political Bureau.

(8) She shall be elected by secret ballot for five-year term of office by the Congress of SWAPO Party Women’s Council which shall take place prior to the Congress of SWAPO Party

(9) She shall be endorsed by the Congress of SWAPO Party.

(10) He or she shall be eligible for re-election.(11) She may be suspended from office by resolution of the Central Committee supported by at least two-third majority of the member.

(12) No Party member shall be eligible for election to the  Secretary for SWAPO Party Women’s Council unless he or she meets the requirements of Article VI (4) of this Constitution.

(Q) SECRETARY FOR SWAPO PARTY ELDERS COUNCIL

(1) He or she shall be the party’s spokesperson  on the issues affecting Namibia’s senior citizens and veterans of Namibia’s struggle for national liberation.

(2) He or She shall be responsible for the explanation of SWAPO Party’s policies and the Political Programme amongst Namibia’s elders.

(3) He or She shall encourage elders to play as active role in  running of the party by availing to the party their experienced guidance and tried and tested wisdom.

(4) He or She shall supervise the activities and preside over SWAPO Party Elders Council’s Congress.

(5) He or She shall be accountable to the Central Committee and its Political Bureau.

(6) He or She shall be elected by secret ballot for five-year term of office by the Congress of SWAPO Party Elders Council which shall take place prior to the Congress of SWAPO Party.

(7) He or she shall be eligible for re-election.

(8) She may be suspended from office by resolution of the Central Committee supported by at least two-third majority of the member.

(9) No Party member shall be eligible for election to the  Secretary for SWAPO Party Elders Council unless he or she meets the requirements of Article VI (4) of this Constitution.

ARTICLE X

Secretariat

(1) There shall be a Secretariat of SWAPO Party.

(2) The Secretariat shall be appointed by the Political Bureau.

(3) The Secretariat shall be compose of the Secretary General, the Deputy Secretary General and Head’s of Departments.

(4) The Secretariat shall assist the political Bureau in the implementation of the decisions, resolutions and directives of the Central committee and Political Bureau.

(5) The Secretariat shall be responsible for the coordinated functioning of the technical and administrative bodies of the Party.

(6) The Secretariat may establish such number of committees as it may deem necessary, including a Finance Committee to administer the finances of the Party accordance with the relevant financial regulation and acceptable accounting procedure.

(7) The Secretariat shall have the power to call for emergency meetings of the Political bureau.

(8) The quorum of the Secretariat shall be a simple majority of its members.

CHAPTER FOUR

ARTICLE XI

Regional Organs

(1) The shall be the following organs of SWAPO Party at the regional level:

(a) Regional Conference; and 

(b) ]Regional executive Committee

(A) REGIONAL CONFERENCE

(2) There shall be a regional Conference for each Administrative Region

(3) The composition of the Regional Conference shall be as follows:

(a) members of the Regional Executive Committee;

(b) four delegates from each of the district in the Region; and 

(c) four delegates from each of the Party Wings and affiliated organization.

(4) The Regional Conference shall be the highest organ in the Region.

(5) It shall be competent to discuss and decide on matters of regional concern and may make recommendation thereon to the Political Bureau through the Secretariat.

(6) The Regional Conference shall elect the regional executive Committee.

(7) The Regional Conference shall elect the Regional Coordinator.

(8) It shall consider and adopt reports submitted to it by the regional executive Committee on the activities of the Party within the Region.

(9) The Regional Conference shall be convened by the regional Executive Committee once every five year and shall, subject to the proviso contain in Article V (3) of this Constitution, do so immediately prior to the Congress of 

the Party.

(10) An Extraordinary regional conference may be called on the initiative of either the Political bureau, by two third of members of the Regional Executive Committee or the District executive committee or at the request of both.

(11) The quorum of the Regional Executive Committee shall be simple majority of the delegates entitled to attend and vote.

(12) It shall elect ten delegates from the regional executive Committee members to the Congress of the Party.

(B) REGIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

(1) There shall be a Regional executive Committee for each Administrative region.

(2) The regional Executive Committee shall be compose of :

(a) The Regional Coordinator

(b) The Regional Treasurer

(c) The Regional information an Mobilization Officer,

(d) All District coordinators in the Region;

(e) All district information and Mobilization Officers in the Region;

(f) One delegate from each of the party wings and affiliate organization.

(3)  The regional Executive committee shall be responsible of the implementation in the regional, of the decision, resolutions and directive of the Congress, the Central Committee, the Political Bureau and the Regional Conference.

(4)       The Regional Executive committee shall be accountable to the regional Conference and the political bureau.

(5) The Regional executive Committee shall be responsible for the political and mobilization of the masses for broad participation in the activities of the Party.

(6) The Regional Executive Committee shall have the power to suspend any member of the party, in the region, for serious misconduct or violation of the constitution. And refer the matter to the Political Bureau for ratification.

(7) The Regional Executive committee may appoint such sub-committees as may be necessary for the better implementation of the  policies and programmes of the party in the Region.

(8) The Regional Executive Committee shall meet at least one in three month and as often as may be requested by a majority of the District Executive Committee.

(9) The quorum of its meetings shall be a simple majority of the members entitled to attended and vote.

ARTICLE XII

Duties and Functions of the Regional Officers

(A) REGIONAL COORDINATOR

(1) The Regional Coordinator shall take overall charge of the Activities of the Party in the Region.

(2) He or She shall be the party’s chief administration officer and party leaderat the regional level.

(3) He or she shall preside over the regional conference and the Regional Executive Committee.

(4) He or She shall be co-signatory to al cheques issued by the regional headquarters.

(5) He or She shall be elected by secret ballot for a five year term of office by the regional Conference, supported by at least two-third majority of the delegates.

(6) He or She shall be accountable to the Regional executive committee.

(7) He or She shall be eligible for re-election.

(8) He or she shall be suspended by the regional executive committee by resolution, supported by a at least two-third majority of its member.

(9) He or She shall endorse as a member of the Central Committee by the Congress of SWAPO Party.

(10) He or She shall be removed from office by resolution of the Regional conference, supported by at least two-third majority of the delegates.

(11) No party members shall be eligible for election as a regional coordinator of SWAPO Party unless he or she meets the requirements of Article VI (4) of its Constitution.

(B) REGIONAL TREASURER

(1) The Regional Treasurer shall receive and bank, within 7 days of receipt, all the monies belonging to the party at the Regional level.

(2) He or She shall be responsible for making payments on behalf of SWAPO Party and keeping  accounts, vouchers,  receipts and copies of  financial statements and reports, as well as stock-cards.

(3) He or She shall  study possibilities and make proposals concerning the raising of funds.

(4) He or she shall be co-signatory to al cheques at the Regional Headquarters

(5) He or She shall be accountable to the Regional Executive Committee.

(6) He or She shall be elected by secret ballot for five-year term of office by the Regional Conference from amongst its members.

(7) He or She shall be eligible for re-election.

(8) He or She shall be suspended by the Regional Executive Committee by resolution supported by at least two-third majority of its members

(9) He or she may be removed from office by resolution of the Central Committee supported by at least two-third majority of the delegates

C. REGIONAL INFORMATION AND MOBILIZATION OFFICER

(1) The Regional Information and Mobilization Officer shall be responsible for gathering, analyzing, publishing and disseminating information on the social, economic and political realities in the Region.

(2) He or She shall  propagate, explain and defend the policies and the Political programme of SWAPO Party

(3) He or She shall study  responsible for the preparation and distribution of SWAPO Party information and publicity materials in the Region.

(4) He or she shall be accountable to the Regional Executive Committee

(5) He or She shall be eligible for re-election.(6) He or She shall be suspended by the Regional Executive Committee by 

resolution supported by at least two-third majority of its members

(7) He or she may be removed from office by resolution  of the Central Committee supported by at least two-third majority of the delegates

ARTICLE XIII

District Organs

There shall be the following organs of SWAPO Party at the district level:

(a) District conference; and

(b) District Executive Committee

(A) DISTRICT CONFERENCE

(1) There shall be an annual District Conference. Its Composition shall be as follows:

(a) All members of the District Executive Committee;

(b) Four delegates elected by each Branch in the District; and 

(c) One delegate fro each of the Party Wings and affiliate organizations.

(2) The annual District Conference shall be the highest organ authority in the District and shall, subject to the provision contained in Article V (3) of this Constitution, meet annually or as often as the need arises.

(3) An Extraordinary conference may be called at the instance of either the Secretary General, by two-third majority of the District Executive Committee, the Branch Executive Committee or at the request of both.

(4) The Annual district Conference shall be competent to discuss matters of district interest and may make recommendations thereon to the regional Executive Committee and the Regional Conference.

(5) It shall consider and adopt reports on the activities of the Party within the district.

(6) It shall elect four delegates to the regional conference.

(7) It shall elect the District officers on the pattern of the regional Officers.

(8) It shall elect the district Executive Committee from amongst its delegates.

(9) It shall elect three delegates from the District Executive Committee members to the Congress of the Party.

(10) The quorum of the District Conference shall be a simple majority of the delegates entitled to attend and vote.

(B) DISTRICT EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

(1) There shall be a District executive committee for each District. It composition shall be as follows:

(a) The District Coordinator;

(b) The District Treasurer;

(c) The District Information and Mobilization officer;

(d) All Branch Coordinators;

(e) All Branch Secretaries;

(f) One representative from each of the Party Wings and affiliate organizations; and

(g) All elected members of the regional Council as ex-officio: members.

(2) The duties and functions of the District executive Officers will correspond to those of their respective counterparts in the regional executive Committee, with the exemption that their term of office shall be three years.

(3) The District Executive Committee shall recommend to the regional Executive Committee the suspension of District officials and individual members of the party, for serious misconduct or violation of the Party Constitution.

(4) The District Executive  Committee shall be accountable to the District Conference.

(5) The quorum of its meetings shall be a simple majority of its members entitled to attend and vote.

ARTICLE XIV

Branch Organs

(1) There shall be the following organs of SWAP Party at the Branch level:

(a) Branch Conference; and 

(b) Branch Executive Committee

(A) BRANCH CONFERENCE

(1) There shall be a Branch conference of SWAPO Party. Its composition shall be as follows:

(a) All members of the Branch Executive Committee;

(b) Four delegates from each of the sections in the Branch; and

(c) One delegate from each of the party wings and affiliate organization.

(2) The Branch Conference shall  be the highest organ of authority at the branch eve and shall meet annually.

(3) An Extraordinary Branch Conference may be called at the instance of either the secretary  –general, by two-third majority of the Branch executive committee, members of the sections in the branch or at the request of both.

(4) It shall by secret ballot, elect the Branch Executive Committee.

(5) It shall be competent to discuss such matters of local interest as it may deem fit and make recommendation thereon to the District executive committee and to the District Conference.

(6) It shall by secret ballot select four delegates to the District Conference.

(B) BRANCH EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

(1) There shall be a Branch Executive Committee of SWAPO Party for each branch in each Administrative District

(2) The composition as well as the functions of  its  members shall correspond to those of the District executive Committee, except that al Section Secretaries shall be members of the Branch executive Committee, that a monthly enrolment of membership shall be compiled and forwarded to the District executive Committee every month, and that the term of office of the Branch executive Committee members shall be two years.

(3) It shall organize SWAPO party members and recruit new ones,

(4) It shall raise funds for the party by collecting membership fees;

(5) It shall generally supervise and coordinate the activities of the party within the Branch and shall report thereon to the branch Conference;

(6) It may appoint such sub-committees as may be necessary for the better carrying out of the functions and activities of the party in the Branch.

(7) The Branch executive Committee shall recommend to the District Executive Committee the suspension of section officials and individual member of the party for serious misconduct or violation of the Constitution.

(8) It shall meet once every month or as may be necessary.

(9) It shall be accountable to the Branch Conference.

(10) The quorum of its meeting shall be simple majority of its members entitled to attend and vote.

(11) The quorum of its meetings shall be a simple majority of its members entitled to attend and vote.

ARTICLE XV

SECTION

(1) There shall be a Section of SWAPO Party which shall be the basic organ of the Party;

(2) The Section shall be established in residential areas.

(3) Between (15) and fifty (50) members of the Party shall be required to constitute a Section.

(4) Each Section shall elect for a one year term of office a Secretary who will take overall charge of the affairs of the party in the Section.

(5) The Section shall be accountable to the Branch executive Committee in the area under which it falls.

(6) The Section shall educate members of the party in the knowledge of SWAPO Party Constitution, the Political Programme, resolutions, directives and decisions.

(7) It shall discuss and analyses all the documents, resolutions, reports, and decisions of the Party.

CHAPTER V

ARTICLE XVI

Wings of the Party

There shall be the following wings of SWAPO Party:

(A) SWAPO PARTY YOUTH LEAGUE (SPYL)

(1) There shall be a SWAPO Party Youth League (SPY)

(2) Subject to Article IX 92) of this Constitution, membership of SWAPO Party Youth League shall be open to all Namibian youths who accept the aims and objectives of SWAPO Party and whose age is between 18 and 35 year.

(3) Minors who wish to identify themselves with the aims and objectives, as well as the activities of SWAPO Party, can join through the pioneer wing of SWAPO Party Youth League.

(4) Membership of SWAPO Party Youth League shall thus consist of two groups; namely youth between the ages of 18 and 35, and pioneers between the ages of 6 and 17.

(5) SWAPO Party Youth League shall adopt its own Constitution governing its activities and administration, provided that such Constitution or amendment shall require the approval of the Congress of the party before becoming operative.

(B) SWAPO PARTY WOMEN’S COUNCI (SPWC)

(1) There shall be a SWAPO Party Women’s Council (SPWC);

(2) Membership of SWAPO Party Women’s Council shall be open to every woman who is of the age of 18 years and above;

(3) SWAPO PARTY Women’s Council shall adopt its own Constitution governing activities and administer that such constitution or amendment shall require the approval of the party before becoming operative.

SWAPO PARTY

Flag, Emblem, official Anthem and Motto

(A) SWAPO PARTY FLAG

The official flag of SWAPO Party consists of three colour in horizontal position.The upper colour shall be blue, the middle coulour shall be red and the lower shall be green.

The blue coulour shall represent the minerals and the wealth of Namibia as well as her long Atlantic coast which is rich of both minerals and other resources.

The red colour shall represent the precious blood of the Namibian people that have been shed in the struggle against colonialism, the struggle for nationhood, in general, and the victorious anti-colonial revolution in Africa.

The green colour shall represent the people, the land, the agricultural potentials and the vegetation of the country.

(B) THE EMBLEM

The emblem of SWAPO Party is a young man with a raised fist symbolizing the youthfulness and energy of our nation surging forward to social progress.

(C) MOTTO

The motto of SWAPO Party is Solidarity, Freedom and Justice.

(D) OFFICIAL ANTHEM

The Official Anthem of SWAPO PARTY IS “Alert Namibia”