Do you have your riot insurance?

Namibian elections are now less than a month away, and there are billboards everywhere. Well, yes, there are political billboards, but there are also riot insurance billboards.

Even in Namibia, insurance companies are experts at finding the weak spot in your confidence.

First, just so parents and other loved ones don't get freaked out....there is very little chance of any riot happening over the Namibian elections. The newspapers do report a few incidents of voter intimidation by SWAPO each day. There seem to be more than enough reasons to vote against SWAPO, but the competition is not well-organized. It is fairly certain that the SWAPO party will win the election, and all will remain as normal. In fact, SWAPO's motto for the election seems to be: "if you vote for us, everything will remain the same." Not sure that is good for economics and long-term prosperity, but in terms of general peace in the country, it's good.

But, it is Afria, and African elections can create chaos. So, the insurance companies have a good product. Riot insurance.

In addition to the billboards around town, there has been an advertisement in the newspaper every day. Yesterday's ad is at right.

Kelly has been having fun watching the different wording on the signs: "What if 'free-and-fair' turns into a 'free-for-all'?"

Then, yesterday at my final exam for Ecology II, I noticed about 5% of the student body wearing red t-shirts with the following logo:

"Would you be insured if I destroyed your stuff?"

From an advertising campaign perspective, I'm sure it is a success. If you want cheap advertising in Namibia, make some t-shirts and give them away free to students. They will wear almost anything. Even a t-shirt that suggests they might loot your house.

Funny, I wouldn't have guessed that about my students in Ecology II. Maybe I should go buy some insurance.