FRIDAY October 5, 2007 was a special day for the Republican Party of Namibia because the party celebrated its 30th birthday. Indeed a milestone for which we are very thankful and for which we are very proud.
Allow me to use this opportunity to share with the people of Namibia a short look at the proud history of our Party and also our vision for the future.
One cannot talk about the history of the Republican Party without talking about its Founding Father, namely Mr Dirk Mudge, and I would like to begin this contribution by paying tribute to this true Son of the Namibian soil. A man to whom, can without any doubt, also be attributed the title of the Founding Father of true Reconciliation and Nation Building in Namibia.
A process he started as far back as 1974, when he initiated the historical Turnhalle Conference, where all the different ethnic groups in Namibia were brought together as Namibians to work out a road map for their own future.
When Dirk Mudge realized that his vision for an Independent Namibia proved to be irreconcilable with that of his colleagues in the National Party, he walked out of the congress of the National Party with almost half the delegates and on October 5, 1977 he founded the Republican Party.
During November of that same year, Dirk Mudge as the leader of the Republican Party again took the initiative to form an alliance with 10 other parties in the Turnhalle Conference and the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (the DTA of Namibia of today) was born.
Following tremendous pressure from the representatives at the Turnhalle Conference, the South African Government in 1978 agreed for an election to be held and during December 1978 the first ever one-man-vote election was held in Namibia. The DTA won the election with 80% of the votes. It must be noted that 80% of all eligible voters took part in that election.
Having been an advocate for the removal of all apartheid legislation (of which the Mixed Marriages Act was probably the most controversial) and having pleaded for better human relations and respect for human dignity and an end to racial discrimination, Dirk Mudge, in September 1979, introduced the Abolishment of Racial Discrimination (Residential Areas and Public Amenities) Bill in the Legislative Assembly of the Interim Government.
Probably one of his most memorable and lasting contributions to the Namibian nation, was his contribution as one of the Founding Fathers of the Constitution of the Republic of Namibia.
Dirk Mudge has striven relentlessly for reconciling all the peoples of our country and by having done that, made a positive contribution towards nation building. He was a man that was blessed with an extraordinary vision for which he will always be remembered. He retired from active politics in 1993 after having served as the Chairman of the DTA, a position he held since 1977.
In 2003 we realized that the DTA no longer fulfilled in the aspirations and vision of Republican Party supporters. We decided to leave the already diluted “Alliance” and in September 2003, the Republican Party of Namibia was registered as an independent political party.
The Republican Party of 2007 has a proud history and as we sit here today, the vision and mission of the RP is still exactly the same as what Dirk Mudge had in 1977. We are committed to address the plight of the poor and unemployed. Those who are destitute and still have to taste the fruits of their independent Namibia. We still do whatever possible to make our contribution towards National Reconciliation and Nation Building.
We humbly try to assist the government in finding solutions for the numerous problems facing us as a nation of which poverty, unemployment, land reform, corruption and the plight of the grass-roots level are the most crucial ones.
The Republican Party will always strive to conduct its affairs in such a way that not only the government, but also the Namibian nation as a whole will experience us as a trustworthy Party with utmost integrity, and a Party that will always rather focus on solving problems and therefore making a positive contribution rather than becoming involved in petty politics.
Our vision is clearly stipulated in our Constitution where, in Art. 3, we declare that, and I quote:
“The Republican Party believes that Namibia must be a nation in submission to Almighty God.
“The Republican Party believes in a constitutional state that promotes Christian moral values.
“The Republican Party will strive to mobilise all Namibian citizens, regardless of race and ethnic origin, bound by common democratic values, to exercise their fundamental right of participation in all governmental institutions and processes in order to:
“Uphold the Constitution of the Republic of Namibia.
“Guard against any derogation or suspension of the fundamental rights and freedoms as provided for in chapter 3 of the Constitution with special reference to: the right to life: personal liberty: respect for human dignity:
equality before the law: protection against arbitrary arrest and detention: a fair trial: privacy: equal rights for men and women: children’s rights: property rights: right to participate in political activity: the right to culture, language, tradition or religion and education: freedom of speech and press; freedom of thought, conscience and belief: freedom of religion: freedom of residence, association, movement and assembly: the right to withhold labour.
“Strive tirelessly towards the achievement of freedom and equality and the eradication of all forms of corruption, suppression, unfair preference and nepotism.
“Promote improved human relations and national reconciliation.
“Secure peace, security and stability by means of social, economic and human development.” Unquote
And last, but not least, I quote from Art. 4 of our Constitution, where we say that:
“The Republican Party is committed to raise a new generation of God-fearing leaders of integrity, dedicated to serving the nation.”
In conclusion Ladies and Gentlemen, we stand by the Founding Statement of our Constitution which says:
“The Republican Party acknowledges God, the Trinity, as the sovereign creator of the universe, who has entrusted to humanity the right and responsibility to rule over the affairs of the world.” Unquote
We are grateful for the opportunity we have to make our humble contribution.
May God bless the leaders of the Republican Party of Namibia with divine wisdom and guidance in order for us to fulfill in our vision, mission and commitment that was born in 1977, not only to fulfill in the aspirations of our own supporters, but to the Namibian nation as a whole.
Henk Mudge