Wakker wees

Net twee dae is oor voor Namibiërs in die land se sesde nasionale verkiesing sedert 1990 stem.Teen die naweek was deel van die debat of 'n presidensiële kandidaat, vernaam Swapo se dr. Hage Geingob, die teiken van vuilspel en die “speel van die man eerder as die bal” is. Enige kandidaat, ook in 'n parlementêre verkiesing, se ampsgedrag, of 'n gebrek aan sekere gedrag, ook in sy/haar persoonlike lewe, is geen heilige koei in 'n demokrasie nie. Natuurlik binne die reëls en etiek van grondige kritiek.Alle en enige kritiek is nie “fopnuus” nie.Die naweek se arrestasies in 'n internasionale visskandaal gaan ongelukkig by sekere kiesers die vraag laat ontstaan of die beseringstydstappe daarop gemik is om Swapo en Geingob se beeld te help red? Persepsies is ongelukkig dikwels magtiger as feite.Kiesers moet alle partye en kandidate se kwalifikasies, getuigskrifte, manifeste, ondernemings (beloftes) en gedrag so objektief en krities as moontlik oorweeg vir deelnemende demokrasie om optimaal te funksioneer. Die maatstawwe geld nie net vir Swapo en Geingob nie.Alle ander se optrede, en gebrek daaraan, moet ewe waaksaam oorweeg word. Ook dié van die onafhanklike kandidaat, dr. Panduleni Itula, wat steeds 'n Swapo-kaart het, eers relatief onlangs na die land teruggekeer het en Namibië nou wil red met 'n Swapo-administrasie waarvan 'n groot deel moeilik na hom gaan luister.Elke kieser moet oopoë, oopore en wakker na die stembus gaan. So sê ander23 November 2019 Netanyahu's Cry of Attempted Coup Sounds Familiar When the Israeli attorney general filed corruption charges against Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday, his political rivals were quick to dredge up a statement he made 11 years ago, when his predecessor as prime minister fell afoul of the law.“A prime minister steeped up to his neck in investigations doesn't have a moral or public mandate to make such fateful decisions regarding the State of Israel,” Mr. Netanyahu said at the time about Ehud Olmert, who eventually served time in prison.Justice demands that a politician enjoy the same presumption of innocence as any citizen, but public service demands that a leader place the public interest before his own. Mr. Netanyahu evinces no intention of heeding himself.The greater problem is that Mr. Netanyahu's legal issues are entangled in one of the most protracted political crises Israel has known in its tumultuous history.Nobody reading about Israel's travails could fail to see the similarities to the political turmoil in the United States, where President Trump is facing impeachment.It is for Mr. Netanyahu and the Israelis to find the best path out of the crisis, and to decide whether his reasoning of 11 years ago is valid today. As they wrestle with these issues, it would be best for the Trump administration to mind its own sordid political business and avoid any further measures that diminish the chances for an already elusive peace.• THE NEW YORK TIMES

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Republikein 2026-01-12

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