In the name of transparency Government officials have made the right noises regarding effective governance and transparency. In fact one of the pillars of the Harambee Prosperity Plan initiated by President Hage Geingob is to ensure good and effective governance. It places a great emphasis on transparency. It is true that public institutions are there to serve the people and information sharing is just as critical. Gaining access to information is necessary for them to make informed decisions about the issues affecting them. It also encourages active citizenship and curbs corruption. But are our leaders really keeping their word? The Namib Desert Diamonds (Namdia) saga is just a case in point. All along there has been little information regarding the establishment of this government entity, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Mines and Energy.
The appointment of C-Sixty Investments to evaluate diamonds from Namdia was specifically frowned upon following allegations that the company was secretly handpicked. This deal was, however, defended by mines and energy minister Obeth Kandjoze, who claims he has the necessary powers as per section 45 of the Diamond Act to appoint C-Sixty Investments. We have said before, that government''s communication strategy stinks and needs to be fine-tuned.
Those in government still lack the tools to plan proactively when it comes to sharing important information with the public. Politicians in general frequently use claims of secrecy to avoid scrutiny and to hide damaging information. There must be a greater level of transparency and senior officials in government should not be secretive, over-sensitive and restrict information.
Those in government have moral responsibilities towards their fellow citizens and should stop shedding crocodile tears whenever their shady dealings are exposed. Lest we forget that elected public officials are answerable to the general public and wherever public money and interests are at stake, the public have the right to know what considerations politicians are taking into account when making significant government decisions that affect its citizens directly.