By William Mbangula
Oshakati
The Chairman of the Mangetti Farmers Association (MFA) Ismael Shailemo says the formation of a political party is not a bad idea at all because Namibia is a democratic country where people have the right to establish their own parties.
If Swapo has weaknesses that need to be addressed, so be it. Shailemo was approached for comment about the formation of the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) party by former Trade and Industry Minister, Jesaya Nyamu.
“I am surprised that there seems to be a lot of commotion following the formation of the new party but people should understand that the party is established by people who have been expelled from Swapo and the Government. I thought if the person is told to go, he/she would definitely go.
Why make noise about the new party?”
Shailemo, an Ondangwa-based businessman and farmer, said people have been unhappy for a long time and this is an indication that they are now tired. For the past 17 years, only a certain group of people have enjoyed privileges brought about by independence.
The Government has failed to address the issue of the redline. A certain group of people are the only ones being favoured at the expense of others. They are allowed to sell meat in South Africa, Europe and are also dominating the market in Namibia where they are unfairly protected, he said.
“I want to make it clear that the farmers are not happy. For them the formation of a new party is part of the steps to address some of the burning issues, which the Swapo government has failed to achieve. If they claim the communal farmers have more cattle than commercial farmers, why can’t they allow them fair participation in the meat industry?”
A teacher at Oshakati secondary School, who preferred anonymity, says he is disturbed by the news because such parties created by frustrated people will not ensure peace and stability in the country. All they will strive for is civil strife, poverty, hunger and disease by making the country ungovernable.
“What do they want to achieve? Are they power hungry? Do they want to be many in one position (Presidency) or what do they want with the new party formed to fight Swapo?”
A private photographer in Oshakati, Samwel Phillemon, who was not aware of the new party until approached by New Era for comment asked: “A new party in Namibia? Such party will fail like other parties before it because there is no way it can defeat Swapo. Other parties such as the DTA, which came a long way and the CoD which was formed to divide Swapo have failed. It will suffer the same fate. Swapo is a tested party which has gone through thick and thin during the liberation struggle and after 17 years of independence.”
“They want to blind people with empty promises. I personally believe that if those people who have formed a new party were top leaders of Swapo they could have corrected the mistakes made by the ruling party within the system. I don’t believe they are going to deliver what they have failed to achieve when they were part and parcel of the governing party.
“Honestly speaking, every person is prone to mistakes but this does not mean we should act in a destructive manner such as blinding people with empty promises,” he said.
Another resident of Oshana, John Lenga, feels that the founders of the new party should have been advised to sit down with their colleagues in Swapo and solve any problems within the ruling party.
Lenga said: “It is very shameful that the very people who are trying to divide Swapo are those who are not supposed to do so. It is very embarrassing to see them doing what the enemies of this country have been doing to Swapo in the past. If they are tired of politics, why can’t they go farming?
How can they try to put Namibia on fire because they have fat Swiss Bank accounts where they can run once things get out of hand? They are too old to fight and we do not want civil strife since we have nowhere to go. Namibia is our only home and we cannot risk it being destroyed by divisive politics.”
Some of the respondents dismissed the new party as a non-starter, especially after being established by frustrated leaders from Swapo.
Others have adopted a wait-and-see attitude. Still others, especially supporters of opposition parties welcome the new party, hoping it will help break the Swapo monopoly of power by making a dent in the Swapo support base here. Generally however, people are dismissive of the new party.