REHOBOTH – The United People’s Movement (UPM) through its top leaders has challenged Swapo to show proof of what development it has brought to Rehoboth.
Bismarck van Wyk, the party’s president, told a gathering of around 400 cheering supporters at Rehoboth that the development that was brought to their town was the result of their own money which they paid through taxes.
“Swapo did not bring development to Rehoboth, the government which is supported by your tax brought the little development which you see here,” Van Wyk told his supporters who responded with loud cheers of “Viva UPM, Viva.”
He said the rights of the minorities including the Baster are trampled on and that it was the fault of voters in Rehoboth that they continued “living in hell” by voting for Swapo.
“The only way to restore things,” Van Wyk said, “is to stop Swapo from getting a two-thirds majority.”
“You cannot complain to the devil about the devil,” he said.
“When things do happen as they should, you need to take another direction,” Van Wyk implored the UPM rally.
“That is where your candidates come in,” he added.
“They are there to serve your interests, not their own,” he told the meeting and assured that if anyone of the UPM candidates are found wanting that person would be recalled immediately and replaced with a competent one.
“Swapo wants a two-thirds majority so they can do as they please,” he said and urged UPM supporters not to allow that.
“Swapo had the chance to govern this beautiful country of ours for the past 24 years, but only managed to destroy it,” further stated the politician from the little-known party.
Van Wyk also took a swipe at the incumbent mayor of Rehoboth, Eva Maasdorp.
He called her “an embarrassment for the Rehoboth community” and warned her that her time is over.
He predicted that the UPM would take over the Rehoboth Town Council in the local authority elections next year.
On the issue of land grabbing, Van Wyk proclaimed: “How can one grab something that already belongs to you!”
“The land in and around Rehoboth belongs to the Baster community and not to the government,” he said.
Van Wyk said the Forefathers’ Acts (Voorvaderlike Wette) of 1972 make provision for the ownership of the land.
Piet Junius, the vice-president of the party urged the meeting to go and cast their votes in the right block.
“It’s an inherent right to vote for the candidate of your choice,” he told the meeting, adding that they should exercise that right “while they still have the chance”.
Swapo is working towards the attainment of a one-party state, he said, and echoed Van Wyk’s sentiments that it cannot be allowed.
He also questioned the motive behind the recent donation of cattle to the founding president Dr Sam Nujoma.
“What did Nujoma do for Rehoboth?” he asked and further wanted to know what they will give Dr Hage Geingob since President Pohamba also recently received some small stock.
He urged voters to vote in order to get a place in the sun.
He informed the gathering that UPM will only contest the parliamentary election and not the presidential election.
“As a relatively young party, we do not harbour ambitions to take over government yet,” he told the gathering, adding: “We wish to secure adequate representation in parliament for now to address the issues concerning our supporters.”
He predicted that Geingob is guaranteed to win the presidential election and that this should not come as a surprise.
He urged the meeting to vote for any of the presidential candidates except Geingob, the Swapo presidential candidate.
Before the meeting adjourned, Jan van Wyk, the party’s national chairman told the meeting that they now have the responsibility to take the message of the UPM further.
By Staff Reporter