Absurdity Of Name-Change THE ongoing political circus surrounding the imposed name of Zambezi over the Caprivi region demonstrates how people are easily swayed in the wrong direction at the expense of what real matters – food and security. Unfortunately, in contrast to The Namibian’s editorial, there are no “victors” in changing colonial names, but the suppression of the people’s will – the electorate, the citizens. Some Namibian academics are claiming that the Caprivi Strip had “no official colonial name” by the 1890s, but was mapped as German Zambezi Region or German Barotseland, which could be accurate, because that was just about the beginning of the scramble of Africa and the Caprivi Strip had not yet fallen into the hands of the Germans. But then, for the Caprivi Strip, the indigenous people had called that piece of land by different names, with prominent ones being Itenge and Linyanti. If reverting to old names is the answer, why not do the same for the Caprivi Strip and see if there is any benefit in doing so? Certainly, historical facts are good, but they must not blind the future. While Namibians, especially Caprivians, try to portray Von Caprivi in a bad light, as a colonial master, they must as well reward him for making Caprivi an integral part of German South West Africa/Namibia. Common sense would dictate that if Namibian academics are questioning who was consulted in naming that piece of land after Von Caprivi, why are they not also questioning who was consulted in trading the Caprivi Strip to German South West Africa/Namibia. Let’s stop playing the double standards! There is no substitute for logic. Trying to recycle the colonial argument is cheap politics. Namibia has so much more on its plate than to waste time with non-issues, petty issues, which do not add value to people’s lives. In this regard, honouring Von Caprivi would have made more sense by erecting a statue in his name should someone want to preserve the rich history of the Caprivi Strip.For some academics like Charles Mubita to claim that being Caprivian makes people “loyal subjects of Von Caprivi” is being shallow. This is the equivalent of saying Namibians are subjects of the Namib Desert? Surely, being Caprivian does not mean we are sons and daughters of Von Caprivi, just as we all cannot claim to have the same personal sentiments with the name Zambezi – some Caprivians have never seen the Zambezi River! And for the likes of Charles Mubita to suggest that Caprivians have “no cultural, traditional, ancestral, or any linkage with Von Caprivi or Germany” is baffling. Does Namibia not have bilateral ties with German, and the benefits derived are enjoyed by all Namibians, Caprivians included? Our forefathers shed their blood for Namibian independence, so people must be free to oppose anything that betrays that sacrifice. In short, Caprivians must stand their ground and disregard the imposed name Zambezi with all the contempt it deserves, until the people shall so decide! Mulife Muchali Canada
Posted on: Fri, 30 Aug 2013 08:43:20 +0000
Trending Topics
Recently Viewed Topics
© 2015