IBBU – Deputy Minister of Information and Communication Technology Stanley Simataa says opposition parties are dying parties and voting for them would be a waste of time. Simataa was addressing a Swapo rally at Ibbu about 70 kilometres east of Katima Mulilo on Saturday.
Simataa stated that Swapo Party has resonated with people since it was founded in 1960. “Swapo is a party that came about to liberate us. We are now free including the opposition. In 1989, DTA campaigned in all corners of the country but we said Swapo will take over and it did. Now DTA is a dying party. Some of the parties have people who continue to address themselves at their rallies as we continue to see on TV. Why do you vote for parties that are already dead?” said Simataa.
Simataa further noted that Swapo was the first to launch its manifesto and now the opposition parties have copied the ideas fronting them as their own. “Now the opposition parties are coming to you with lies while they copied some of our development agendas.We started free education, some parties claim we stole it from them. We already have mass housing and some parties have come up with empty promises on the same idea.”
Continued Simataa “We brought freedom; there’s peace in the country. At independence we only had a few schools now they are many; clinics and health centres have been built and there is potable water and electricity. All that was brought by the Swapo government not the opposition,” boasted Simataa.
Simataa who conceded that there were a few challenges in terms of development added that government had good intentions but that at times those entrusted with their implementation derailed government efforts.
“Sometimes when we take a decision as government, those we have entrusted to implement such projects don’t do their work and in the process they affect the national development agenda. As a government when we realise such saboteurs, we root them out so that people cannot be disadvantaged because of one person,” noted Simataa.
He added that opposition parties were formed by disgruntled power hungry individuals and their appetite for power has always been manifested through power struggles and infighting that ensue after their formation.
“There was so much fanfare when the CoD was formed but all of a sudden we heard about infighting. The same happened to RDP. Now look at the two parties, some of the people left to form their own parties again. On the 28th let’s make sure that we bury these parties once and for all.
Swapo has won all elections and we’re going to win overwhelmingly again,” said Simataa.
Simataa further encouraged the youth to exploit opportunities created by government in tackling unemployment. “We have set up the Development Bank of Namibia and the SME bank to fund business projects. We have resolved the issue of collateral and the ministry of trade buys equipment for those with good projects. Those unemployed should not just sit and do nothing. Let’s make use of these opportunities,” implored Simataa.
He reiterated the loss of indigenous knowledge as one of the factors contributing to youth unemployment urging for concerted efforts in tackling the challenge.
“Our people have lost their traditional knowledge. They even tremble when getting in a canoe. Some foreigners as far as the DRC and Zambia are coming here to catch fish for us. All we do is complain and complain. Let’s take advantage of this. These are our own resources,” urged Simataa.
Simataa also laughed off suggestions that Swapo presidential candidate Dr Hage Geingob avoided a televised debate with DTA president McHenry Veenani, adding that Veenani is a novice and does not even fit in the league of Geingob.
“Geingob was part of the leaders negotiating with the United Nations for Namibia’s independence and the elections that followed. He taught a lot of leaders while in Zambia and was part of the Constituent Assembly which drafted Namibia’s constitution. Now the DTA president, who by the way is still an experiment, wants to debate with Geingob?” Simataa giggled scornfully .
By George Sanzila