OE Watch Commentary: If truly “an army marches on its stomach,” an expression attributed to both Napoleon and Frederick the Great, then Namibia’s military is in trouble. According to the accompanying excerpted article, the southern African nation is forcing thousands of its troops – the Namibian government did not provide the exact number, citing confidentiality – to take leave as it can no longer afford to feed them. With a military just 15,500 strong, even if the number placed on leave is only 1000, such an action leaves the country with a significantly smaller force. To make matters worse, it is not just that the government cannot feed the soldiers; it also is struggling to pay the military’s electric and water bills. Meanwhile, the army owes municipalities millions of dollars.
Although funding for defense shrank this year compared to last year’s expenditures, the military actually receives the third largest chunk of the national budget. Much of that is used to purchase new equipment. Despite that hefty appropriation, last year the armed forces overspent in four different departments. Additionally, there was a large unexplained sum spent on subsistence and travel allowances. This year’s military budget was smaller and apparently insufficient, at least in the way it was allocated, to meet the basic needs of its troops.
While the accompanying article does not detail the reason for Namibia’s economic difficulties that have led to its military needing to scale back spending, a late 2017 World Bank report does offer insight into the primary causes. Even though the country is rich in minerals and politically stable, it is not immune from global forces. Thus, the 2016 worldwide economic slowdown that caused the country’s mineral prices to drop spilled over into other sectors, such as external trade and public sector finance. A drought the same year placed additional strains on the economy. Government budgetary issues from these past difficulties, along with continuing economic weakness in some sectors, have contributed to the defense department’s present day financial problems.
Fortunately, Namibia’s surrounding neighbors are friendly, making any need for immediate military action to defend its territory from invasion by a foreign nation unlikely. Meanwhile, the troops on extended leave will continue to be paid, but apparently not fed and housed at government expense. Additionally, the economic forecast is for a recovery, albeit slow at first, although the article makes no mention of when or what percentage of those troops sent home will be recalled to their bases, should defense spending begin to return to its previous funding levels. End OE Watch Commentary (Feldman)
Thousands of army personnel staying at the seven bases around the country will be forced to take leave with effect from next month.
Those who are already on leave have been asked not to report for duty since the army can no longer afford to feed them as well as food [sic] the water and electricity bills.
The defence ministry was allocated N$5,6 billion of the national budget for the 2017/2018 financial year. This was less than the N$5,9 billion they had received in the 2016/2017 financial year.