By Victor Angula |
During the past week one young promising future leader of this country by the name of Dimbulukeni Nauyoma had posted on social media an image of himself wearing a red beret of the Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF).
Nauyoma is well-known to be one of the three top leaders of the Affirmative Repositioning Movement (AR), so that with the news of one young man by the name of Michael Amushelelo who was seen making a public announcement of his move from AR to the NEFF, the image of Nauyoma in a red beret raised speculations as to whether he was also jumping ship from AR to NEFF.
It’s not uncommon for leaders in the political arena to jump from one party or organization to another.
But what was not also strange or uncommon but just unacceptable was the response which Nauyoma gave to the media (at least to Eagle FM) when he was asked to explain the picture of him in a red beret of NEFF.
Nauyoma was arrogant in his response.
He said: “There is another photo of me standing next to EFF’s Floyd Shivambu, does that make me a member of EFF? There is a photo of me next to McHenry Venaani, does that make me a member of PDM? There is also a photo of me with Dr. Itula, does that make me a member of IPC? I have been at the office of Joseph Kauandenge, so does that also make me a member of NUDO?
“Membership can’t be based on photos. Membership is based on applications, isn’t it? My answer is that membership [of any party] is not based on photos.”
That was a response given to a journalist who was simply asking whether Nauyoma had joined NEFF.
The job of the media is to ask questions, and leaders are expected to provide the answers in an honest manner. It’s unacceptable for a leader to answer questions by asking questions. That is arrogance.
This is a young man who is seeking for the public’s confidence so that more and more people can follow him; so that when he is being asked by the media he must provide answers. The media is asking on behalf of thousands of members and supporters of AR who want to know what is going on.
This could also have been another opportunity for Nauyoma to speak, to speak about his philosophies or ideas, programmes, or whatever.
In fact he could have simply said: “No. it’s not that I have joined NEFF, but just that I do agree with their ideology. I may not agree with their programme but the fact is that there is more that we have in common.
“In fact our people must start to change the thinking that if I don’t belong to this or that party then that party is my enemy. No. We are all Namibians, and we just differ ideologically but we are not enemies.
“That is me. I have been seen with leaders of many parties. But I remain an AR activist. At AR there is a lot we are doing and accomplishing…”
A leader must speak like that. He must not only want to speak through the media when it’s time for campaigns or for mobilisations. If a leader, or someone who aspires to serve the public, is going on like the way Nauyoma did, then that is indication of what such leader will become once elected to public office.
