Half a loaf better than none

Mr. Joseph Kauandenge, Secretary- General of Namibia DMC, writes:
 
Half loaf of bread better than nothing

The recent action of both the RDP and the CoD to challenge the airtime allocation of the NBC for political parties was ill-thought, premature and at best suicidal and has come to affect all parties that were not part of this exercise.

Granted, the current airtime allocation clearly is not the best, however, it has provided some sort of visibility to smaller parties that cannot afford to buy airtime on the national broadcaster.

Yes, we should have engaged the NBC as political parties not on the eve of the elections but earlier for them to distribute this airtime equally to all parties.

With the decision taken by the NBC to cancel the airtime allocation all together it is clear that the issue that gave birth to this whole action, being Swapo enjoying more airtime then other parties, will still continue albeit with Swapo now able to buy more airtime on the NBC, and being the only party visible on our screens, without the other parties being visible even for a minute or two as has been for the past two weeks for free.

At times as political parties we should really distinguish between pity and irrelevant issues and principles issues. It is therefore clear that although we all as opposition parties felt that indeed the current airtime allocation is not the best, we thought that given the circumstances we can let it go and enjoy the little time given.

However, because of some parties’ deep rooted hatred for each other because of issues not known to us that are tribal and personal in nature as we are told over and over again, we all have now to pay for their actions.

It is just regrettable that the NBC decided to cancel the airtime allocation without giving the other parties who happen to be in majority a chance to indicate whether they will continue to make use of the airtime given.

Finally the RDP should realize that not every issue should be fought through the court of law, and that at times common sense and logic should dictate what is workable and what is not. Hence foresight and the ability to let go and compromise on some issues is a virtue and not a commodity.