Namibia's diplomatic cowardice Namibia's wobbling diplomacy was again exposed this week when government rushed to condemn political events far away in Mali, while maintaining deafening silence on a deteriorating human crisis next door in Zimbabwe.Malian president Ibrahim Boubacar Keïta, who faced months of calls to step down amid widespread allegations of corruption, the mismanagement of the economy and the worsening security situation with jihadist and communal violence on the increase, was toppled on Tuesday.
Minister of international relations Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah condemned the coup in a statement on Wednesday and said it violated the principles of the African Union (AU).
Ironically, Namibia forms part of the SADC gang of nations that this week applauded Zimbabwean president Emmerson Mnangagwa for his leadership and effort to ensure regional peace and stability despite the humanitarian crisis unfolding in his country.
In fact, Mnangagwa himself ascended to power through the very “unconstitutional changes of government” that Nandi-Ndaitwah said Namibia was opposed to.
Namibia went a step further to roll out a red carpet for Mnangagwa on his maiden and subsequent visits to Windhoek.
Namibia, as a fairly respected democracy in the region, has looked away when Zimbabweans needed a voice of reason to thunder in the direction of Harare.
Apparently in Nandi-Ndaitwah's eyes the civilian arrests, kidnappings and harassment of activists and journalists who participated in recent protests triggered by the government's poor service delivery, ineffectiveness and the corruption of the ruling class mean absolutely nothing to Namibia.