OMBOMBO – Namibians should not use the lack of development in some parts of the country as an excuse not to vote during this week’s general elections, Ombombo village headman Tuaundja Mumbuu says.
There have been ongoing threats and pronouncements by disgruntled groups threatening not to vote because government has allegedly not adequately addressed their developmental needs.
“No one must use the lack of development in some areas as a reason not to vote. At least in my area I know that despite the limited development in my area, my people will go out in numbers to vote,” said Mumbuu last week.
Ombombo is a village located 75 kilometres southeast of Opuwo.
The headman says voting also contributes to the development of the country because the electorate have the power to vote into power whoever they think will develop their areas.
“We have to vote to develop the country. Although people in Ombombo are complaining because of the limited development, we will continue to vote and see where things end,” he said.
Namibians go to the polls this Friday for the one-day National Assembly and Presidential elections.
Following several poll boycott threats last year from several disgruntled communities in the Kavango Region, President Hifikepunye Pohamba last December took a hard stance on the matter and advised those who do not want to vote to stay home instead of holding government at ransom.
“Why threaten not to vote even if you have a dispute, if you don’t want to vote stay at home,” said Pohamba while opening the Tsumeb-Katwitwi road at Mpungu Vlei last year.
Pohamba at the time vowed that government will never bow to poll boycott threats made by the populace and that its development agenda will not be dictated by such threats either.
“When we carry out our development plans, we look at the needs of the country and then decide when and where to put a certain development, not because of pressure from those threatening not to vote,” Pohamba said.
By Mathias Haufiku