VOA常速英语2007年-Namibia's Political Landscape Hit by Seismic Ch

By Scott Bobb
Johannesburg
23 November 2007

The political landscape in Namibia has been unsettled by the defection of several senior leaders of the ruling SWAPO party to form an opposition¹ party. The split comes as longtime SWAPO leader Sam Nujoma prepares to step down as party president. Correspondent Scott Bobb reports from our Southern African bureau in Johannesburg.

Political analysts² say Namibia may be entering a new political era as former President Sam Nujoma prepares to step down as head of the ruling SWAPO party at next week's party congress and several former SWAPO stalwarts defect to form a new opposition party.

Former Foreign Minister Hidipo Hametunya last week launched the Rally for Democracy and Progress. He told VOA Namibia needs a change.

"Of late the country has been experiencing the problem of autocracy³ and the flouting⁴ of democratic procedures and principles," said Hametunya. "So we want to rekindle⁵ the process of democratic transformation⁶ of our society."

Hametunya has resigned his seat in parliament and on SWAPO's central committee.

A SWAPO founder⁷ who fought in its 27-year struggle for independence, Hametunya was dismissed as foreign minister three years ago after running unsuccessfully against the SWAPO presidential candidate and Nambia's current president, Hifikepunye Pohamba.

Several other senior government and state company officials have also defected to the new party.

The director of Windhoek's Institute for Public Policy Research, Bill Lindeke, says the split is set to change what he calls the political dialogue in Namibia.

"The significance is that you have a major rupture⁸ at least within the top leadership of SWAPO that redefines politics in terms of how government has done since independence," said Lindeke.

Seventeen years after independence, some Namibian leaders are criticizing what they say is growing authoritarianism⁹ in government and cronyism¹⁰ in business.

Lindeke says it remains¹¹ to be seen, however, whether the new party will make significant inroads into SWAPO's three-fourths majority in parliament.

Hametunya says his new party wants to address inequalities in the Namibian economy whose impressive growth has failed to benefit the estimated 55 percent of the population that lives on less than two dollars per day.

"We will present a reform redesigning the educational system and propose programs for the renovation¹² of our health system," said Hametunya. "We will propose policies and programs to assail¹³ the scourge¹⁴ of poverty."

Lindeke says the opposition party has voiced some legitimate¹⁵ policy issues. But he attributes the split primarily to internal power struggles.

He notes that Namibia ranks among the top five countries in most surveys of African governance, corruption¹⁶ and policy-making. But he says there are growing pressures for change.

"You have the honeymoon¹⁷ of independence and you have a reasonably decent performance so far," said Lindeke. "But I think Namibia is getting to a point where they have to break with the liberation tradition and push forward with a more effective, efficient, dynamic growth mode."

SWAPO has dominated Namibian politics since independence in 1990 but is set for a change of leadership as Mr. Nujoma prepares to step down at next week's party congress. Four candidates have been proposed for the party's senior leadership and one is expected to become the SWAPO presidential candidate in elections due in two years.

Lindeke says after so many years in power, there is a desire to see new leaders.

"The new leadership that will come next with SWAPO or the opposition party leadership, both factions¹⁸ are emphasizing accomplishment¹⁹ and getting things done," he said. "So I think whichever direction it works, it's liable to improve governance."

However, the party split has caused dismay within SWAPO and has led to calls for members to pledge an oath of loyalty²⁰ or face dismissal from their positions.

1 opposition   

n.反对，敌对

参考例句：

• The party leader is facing opposition in his own backyard.该党领袖在自己的党內遇到了反对。
• The police tried to break down the prisoner's opposition.警察设法制住了那个囚犯的反抗。

2 analysts   

分析家，化验员( analyst的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• City analysts forecast huge profits this year. 伦敦金融分析家预测今年的利润非常丰厚。
• I was impressed by the high calibre of the researchers and analysts. 研究人员和分析人员的高素质给我留下了深刻印象。

3 autocracy   

n.独裁政治，独裁政府

参考例句：

• The revolution caused the overthrow of the autocracy.这场革命导致了独裁政体的结束。
• Many poor countries are abandoning autocracy.很多贫穷国家都在放弃独裁统治。

4 flouting   

v.藐视，轻视( flout的现在分词 )

参考例句：

• By selling alcohol to minors,the shop is deliberately flouting the law. 向未成年人出售烈性酒，是商店故意犯罪法。 来自口语例句
• By selling alcohol to minor, the shop is deliberately flouting the law. 向未成年人出售烈性酒，是商店故意犯法。 来自互联网

5 rekindle   

v.使再振作；再点火

参考例句：

• Nothing could rekindle her extinct passion.她激情已逝,无从心回意转。
• Is there anything could rekindle his extinct passion?有什么事情可重燃他逝去的热情呢？

6 transformation   

n.变化；改造；转变

参考例句：

• Going to college brought about a dramatic transformation in her outlook.上大学使她的观念发生了巨大的变化。
• He was struggling to make the transformation from single man to responsible husband.他正在努力使自己由单身汉变为可靠的丈夫。

7 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

8 rupture   

n.破裂；(关系的)决裂；v.(使)破裂

参考例句：

• I can rupture a rule for a friend.我可以为朋友破一次例。
• The rupture of a blood vessel usually cause the mark of a bruise.血管的突然破裂往往会造成外伤的痕迹。

9 authoritarianism   

权力主义，独裁主义

参考例句：

• Modern authoritarianism is a vestige of traditional personal rule. 现代独裁主义则是传统的个人统治的残余。
• In its latter days it was a byword for authoritarianism, incompetence, and corruption. 在后期，它是独裁、无能和腐化的代号。

10 cronyism   

n.任人唯亲，对好朋友的偏袒

参考例句：

• Many small town mayor and city official practice cronyism.许多小镇的市长和大城市的官员都有任人唯亲的行为。
• Bringing business people into politics can also produce corruption and cronyism.商人从政也容易带来腐败和任人唯亲。

11 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

12 renovation   

n.革新，整修

参考例句：

• The cinema will reopen next week after the renovation.电影院修缮后，将于下星期开业。
• The building has undergone major renovation.这座大楼已进行大整修。

13 assail   

v.猛烈攻击，抨击，痛斥

参考例句：

• The opposition's newspapers assail the government each day.反对党的报纸每天都对政府进行猛烈抨击。
• We should assist parents not assail them.因此我们应该帮助父母们，而不是指责他们。

14 scourge   

n.灾难，祸害；v.蹂躏

参考例句：

• Smallpox was once the scourge of the world.天花曾是世界的大患。
• The new boss was the scourge of the inefficient.新老板来了以后，不称职的人就遭殃了。

15 legitimate   

adj.合法的，合理的，合乎逻辑的；v.使合法

参考例句：

• Sickness is a legitimate reason for asking for leave.生病是请假的一个正当的理由。
• That's a perfectly legitimate fear.怀有这种恐惧完全在情理之中。

16 corruption   

n.腐败，堕落，贪污

参考例句：

• The people asked the government to hit out against corruption and theft.人民要求政府严惩贪污盗窃。
• The old man reviled against corruption.那老人痛斥了贪污舞弊。

17 honeymoon   

n.蜜月（假期）；vi.度蜜月

参考例句：

• While on honeymoon in Bali,she learned to scuba dive.她在巴厘岛度蜜月时学会了带水肺潜水。
• The happy pair are leaving for their honeymoon.这幸福的一对就要去度蜜月了。

18 factions   

组织中的小派别，派系( faction的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The gens also lives on in the "factions." 氏族此外还继续存在于“factions〔“帮”〕中。 来自英汉非文学 - 家庭、私有制和国家的起源
• rival factions within the administration 政府中的对立派别

19 accomplishment   

n.完成，成就，（pl.）造诣，技能

参考例句：

• The series of paintings is quite an accomplishment.这一系列的绘画真是了不起的成就。
• Money will be crucial to the accomplishment of our objectives.要实现我们的目标，钱是至关重要的。

20 loyalty   

n.忠诚，忠心

参考例句：

• She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
• His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。