Abstract
The influence of ethnicity in the political landscape of African nations is not a novel occurrence, but the growing concern lies in the politicization of ethnicity, especially within the African context. Namibia’s history reflects the prominent role of ethnicity, stemming from the division along ethnic lines during the apartheid regime as well as the colonial strategy of ‘divide and rule’ enforced during the colonial period. Scholars have debated the potential impact of ethnicity on the nation-building process of newly independent countries like Namibia, despite efforts to overcome the divisive legacy of past regimes. However, 33 years after gaining independence, Namibia’s nation-building process faces formidable challenges. While citizens aspire to a unified and well-developed nation, persistent issues such as high levels of inequality, a low Human Development Index, corruption, diminishing trust in the government, and ethnic tensions threaten the nation’s progress. This study delves into the politics of ethnicity and its ramifications for nation-building in Namibia, with a specific focus on the Nama people, one of the country's minority groups. The study is grounded not only in the experiences of the Nama people but also examines their economic, social, and political realities within the broader Namibian context. The study adopted a qualitative research design and interviews were sought as well as secondary literature. Thematic analysis (TA) was identified as the chosen analytical method for this study. In terms of theoretical framework, this research study was grounded in the theory of nationalism and additionally made use of the social-cohesion theory as a sub-section of the theory of nationalism as well as social deprivation theory.