I am in love with the art of knowing languages - I am a secret admirer of those who have embraced diversity in accepting other people's languages and learn to speak them

Wow, even before I jot down some lines for this post, I feel my love oozing for the art of being a linguist. I am not one myself, by I thrill and break with happiness when I see a person - speaking another language apart from his or her own or the language he or she learnt when he or she grew up.

My heart just gets filled with joy when I see a fellow Namibian speaking a language different from the mother tongue --- my body gets relaxed and energized as I mesmerize with honour my compatriot realizing that we are all human  - body and soul  - filled with blood and bones under our skin and we mean no harm to one another - we are all creatures of the Lord - and we must love one another as per biblical word.... the language to me is acquired from one's environment - and is not really genetic -- this to me means that I can be black, but if I was raised by a white person who spoke a different language other than the one I learnt from my baby days, I was going to speak differently today.

In Namibia for instance, we have a number of language groups - ranging from oshiwambo speaking, otjiherero, Damara Nama, Rukavango, SiLozi, Setswana, Afrikaans, English, German, !Ha and many others, including portuguese, french and even Mandarine, Russian, Spanish since we also have international communities here.

We are such a diverse nation - and we love our individual languages - but there are those who have broken to yoke of individualism and embrace the notion of being one Namibia One Nation...and have learnt to speak other languages too...

Last night, although sorrowful that time - as I attended the memorial service of my constituency concillor - I witnessed the late's cousin displaying the spirit of being a Namibian - speaking oshiwambo and Rukwangali as well as English.... I find it special and respectful when another person learns the next person's language and never try and look down on the other's language...

Yes, nowadays to know languages is a business skill and a huge advantage - to the person who is armed with such competencies.... you can go to any village - and the residents there will appreciate you as you speak in the language they understand - you will be able to put your message across - and you can also translate and share that message with others.

At the business level - various countries such as Angola and Mozambique in the Southern African Development Community Area of Jurisdiction speak portuguese, and if you can master that, it will only be a plus - at AU and other levels, french or spanish and even German as well as Mandarin will become compulsory as we face a changing environment where we embrace the world -- Africa and China, Africa and Russia, Africa and Arabic Countries are friends - and they have to do business with one another - therefore having the particular language skill is core and key.

Therefore, whether it is Ngangela, Tjimbundu, Zambezi, or whatever language we hear today - let's embrace that as those languages just enrich our own skills and culture.... and it has nothing to do with a particular person speaking that language - therefore, there is no need to undermine, or dismiss a particular language ... yes, many of Namibians suffered under apartheid - and had afrikaans imposed on many of them --yes, many were angry for the "original speakers"?? of the language .... and hated it - while some schools boycotted this particular language in both SA in Namibia --- but when you personally think deep about this language - just as a language and not a person who imposed it - do you really need to hate the language  - words put together to make up a language??

It's the same when you are for instance robbed by a particular language group - robbed of your property - or your dignity - e.g. raped or just humiliated --- would you say that particular language spoken by such people is no longer worth it ?? I am just asking a question - and I am not taking any side here - I am allowing for some deep thinking ....

Yeah -coming back to the subject, I will once again say being a linguist just makes my heart grow fonder...

"The Namibian Dream" - the country needs to craft - develop - officialize and market its own National Dream!

The Author of this post has been thinking deep about the Namibia Dream. What consists or comprises the Namibian Dream?  What contains the package of the Namibian Dream? Who can benefit from the Namibian Dream, Namibians only or other interested World Citizens too?

We have been hearing about the American Dream, which includes plenty opportunities - that any World Citizen can benefit from it. These include study opportunities if I have to at least mention of the American Dream we have been hearing.

Namibia too has plenty of opportunities - firstly, the country is peaceful - and politically stable, and this pre-requisite is so critical to almost any other development. Namibia has also been referred to as a Peace-Maker given its successful efforts to restore peace and democracy in some Southern African Countries including Madagascar. The country's Press/Media Freedom is alwaying topping the list in Africa - and our Human Resource Development - Transparancy and Human Rights Records rates are not bad. The country has also developed its Institutions of Higher Learning - and boasts two universities (University of Namibia and International University of Management), and a technikon that will sooon be turned into university of technology.Our Natural resources and Environmental preservation ranks amongst the best in Africa. Our natural sceneries and general diverse set up of the country in terms of its landscape and its population are marvelous. Namibia is also patriotic when it comes to Africanness - Pan Africanism and the world affairs. It is one of the few African countries flying the African Union Flag alongside its own National Flag, sing the African Union Athem alongside its own National Anthem and sing both anthems and fly both flags at the opening of the national broadcaster TV station (s). There is so much to offer in terms of the Namibian Dream opportunities. That is why I am saying, Namibia also has its own UNIQUE DREAM which many people can make use of. I am sure the Namibia Dream is yet to be structured and officialize in order to market it and sell it to the rest of the world.....

The Author is therefore proposing that a formal Namibian Dream be crafted - and has such idea instilled in the minds of the upcoming young generation - so that they can grow up knowing what their Land can offer in this regard - to them and to the rest of Human Kind. We have to treasure our own Heritage and resources and the Namibian Dream is just but one of them.

So, next time you want to add value to this idea - kindly share your idea and input on this Namibian Dream aspect ... we the nation have to develop and grow our own Namibian Dream, as nobody will do it for us.

Dream along with the Namibian Dream...

Namibia - busy with with the debate on the third Constitution Amendment Bill

The Namibian National Assembly - whose proceedings are being broadcast as they happen - right as I write this post - have attracted many interested parties to listen to the debate on Namibia's third proposed amendment to the constitution.

Recently the Namibia's Chairperson of the Law Reform - Sackie Shanghala has been sharing with the public - consulting on this very bill - but it seems in some quarters like among the NGO's and some political parties advance further consultations. One MP confirmed that back-benchers were extensively consulted - and that everybody in the house was consulted - squashing the allegations that some back benchers were not consulted.

This post will not go into the actual amendments and why they are need, but will focus more on the current debate in the National Assembly.

Currently, the discussions are interesting - with some MP's asking the morality of the envisaged action -- and whether their mandate was still valid before the next Parliament - others infact reacted with vuma requesting the particular MP who made such comments to withdraw them as he was wrong - because the MPs still had the mandate to regulate.

One of the MPs referred to the fellow MP who questioned the moral and mandate of the members to amend the constitution - to the article that deals with the repeal and amendments - and the number of those MPs who must be present - as the constitution has given the mandate - he then questioned why the fellow MP was telling the public things that are not correct.

One of the MP's said - if the constitution is to be amended or changed - then some of the old MP's must also move on and change - so that young people can join parliament --as their time was up - and must retire - and give the youth a chance to bring in new ideas... One MP even said go spend time with your grand chldren and your great grand children....this reaction followed a remark that some of the MPs were not in the Chambers in 1990 might not remember what was happening then and the constitution formulation.

But the speaker said - let those MPs who were in the Chambers remain till after the elections in November 2014. It was also said what was mentioned was real history - and that people must not be mislead - and the changes are being made because of what was made then ---and now needs to change to fit the current situation.

Some of our MPs are using ipads - presenting their motions from their gadgets ....great technology users ....

The bone of contention is again - from those who are concerned is that the people of Namibia were not consulted and that the country does not need to rush into changing the consitution.

Today's debate on the bill are envisaged to pave the way to Namibia's third amendment to the constitution
- previously, Namibia had amended the constitution to pave the way for the Presidential Third Term, and the other one had to do with the Appointment of some Regional leaders --- and today's one is another one...

Again -- the debate continues - the final decision will be arrived at once this matter has been finalized .. again this post was just to alert you that in Namibia today - we have one of the key and historic debates on the constitution amendment bill.

In the meantime, some people are having a demonstration outside Parliament -- targetted on the proposed bill..

This post will still be edited and improved ---for now once again, the idea was just to alert that the debate is on.

Namibia breaks new ground on digital voting through the Electronic Voting Machines, EVMs - the first on the African Continent.

Namibia might be small in population, but it is fast becoming a leader in many respects.

Its latest record is the usage of Indian-purchased Electronic Voting Machines - or EVMs as many call them which were used for the first time in both Namibia and Africa for a by-Election in the Ohangwena Constituency of the Ohangwena Region in the Northern part of the country recently.

This is the first time an African country is pioniering this technology - and many are hailing its success - including both young and old. The feedback has been overwhelming with some old people refering to the election voting machines as "an easy thing" and quick to use.

The voting machines are eliminating the physcial ballot paper usage and the election voter education of pressing a button seems to have been easy to even those electorates who cannot read or write as all they have to do is to know their Political Party or Political Party candidate and press the particular button next to the Party of their choice. This exercise has also shown that technology is really making things easier for the voters - on the other hand, our voters are also adapting to ICT in their own way.

The machine also eliminated the issue of spoiled ballot papers which is another plus for the country.

Another positive development is the fact that the machine can easily and quickly tabulate the total votes for each Political Party or Political Party Candidate and in the presence of those concerned indicate the total number of the winner and the followers. Again, this is cutting down on the cumbersome physical counting of each ballot paper.

Many countrie including Namibia most of the time end up with court hearings about election results disputes - which eminate from ballot paper or vote counting issues - or rigging which is a general term used in related cases. And with the new e-voting machines, all these issues are likely to be things of the past.

The voting machines will again be tested at the upcoming by-elections in Otjinene in the Omaheke Region - which is the eastern part of Namibia and many eligible voters are looking forward to that.

The same machines are to be used in the upcoming National Assembly and Presidential Elections in November 2014 - the first ever national elections to use voting machines.

If Namibia can set the benchmark in the Electronic Voting Machines, any other African country can also do that as improving the election processes can only improve the democratic systems.

Well done Namibia, keep on leading the electronic voting processes pack in Africa.

The author of this post is looking forward to the next African country that will follow in the footsteps of the Land of the Brave.