MARIENTAL – In the southern region of Hardap, the political rivalry between Swapo and the Landless People’s Movement has intensified, shaping the landscape of recent elections.
The vibrant colours of both parties, Swapo’s red, green and blue alongside LPM’s orange and white, dominated the campaign trails, signalling a fierce competition for voter allegiance.
The 2024 Presidential and National Assembly elections have been characterised by heightened tensions.
In the previous National Assembly elections, Swapo secured only about 56% of the votes, a stark contrast to its earlier successes, where it garnered upwards of 80%.
This decline is reflective of growing discontent among voters, particularly the youth, who during interviews expressed frustration over issues such as unemployment and perceived government corruption.
The LPM, founded by former Swapo member Bernadus Swartbooi, has emerged as a formidable challenger in the region, advocating for land reform and addressing the grievances of marginalised communities. Its rise has been particularly pronounced in Hardap, where it has gained substantial ground in local governance.
However, for the past elections, President-elect Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah took five constituencies out of seven in the Hardap region, leaving the other two for LPM.
The ruling party reigned supreme in Aranos, Mariental Rural and Urban, as well as both Rehoboth Rural and Urban constituencies, signalling a shift ahead of Regional Council and Local Authority elections.
Swapo emerged victorious in the Hardap parliamentary race with 15 006 votes (39.55%), followed by LPM with 11180 votes (29.47%), while Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) scored 5 337 votes (14.07%).
Swapo presidential candidate Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah outperformed her party, receiving 16 070 votes (42.03%). Bernadus Swartbooi of LPM got 10 817, translating into 28.29%, while Panduleni Itula from IPC got 6 833, which is 17.87% of the votes.
Joplin !Gontes, who is the Swapo Party regional coordinator, said according to her observations, the elections were free, fair and transparent.
She added that Swapo winning five constituencies in the region demonstrates the trust and confidence people have in the party. “We build on this momentum as we move forward,” said !Gontes.
Swapo’s National Assembly representation dropped by 12 seats after the party won only 51 seats in the recent elections. The party currently holds 63 of the 96 available seats.
ECN reported that 1.1 million Namibians voted in the National Assembly elections. Swapo is followed by the IPC, who got 20 seats; Affirmative Repositioning (AR) with six seats; and the LPM and Popular Democratic Movement with five each.
The United Democratic Front, Namibian Economic Freedom Fighters, Swanu, Republican Party, National Unity Democratic Organisation, All People’s Party, National Democratic Party and Body of Christ Party all have one seat each.
Parties which failed to get a single seat include Rally for Democracy and Progress, National Empowerment Fighting Corruption, United Namibians Party, Action Democratic Movement Party, United People’s Movement, Congress of Democrats, Christian Democratic Voice, and National Patriotic Front.