WINDHOEK – The DTA has accused Swapo of ‘cheap politicking’ and intimidation of citizens by allegedly announcing through public announcement (PA) systems in Omaheke that if they do not attend Swapo rallies they will not get drought relief or government support.
DTA president, McHenry Venaani, made the allegations at a press conference yesterday and vowed to engage election watchdogs and the international community to take note of such intimidation as well as “other election code of conduct transgressions”.
“We are worried because this is in bad taste for democracy,” he said, adding that while the DTA was conforming to the code of conduct in the campaigns, Swapo reportedly uses the cheapest methods to campaign when they should be addressing the masses on pertinent issues such as poverty.
He said when he arrived in Gobabis, some women approached him saying they were threatened they would not get government support if they do not vote for Swapo.
At Mukwe Constituency in the Kavango Region, from a Swapo bus accompanied by the police it was apparently announced over a PA system that “we will deal with you if you don’t come to our meetings”, further telling the public they would not benefit from government programmes.
Venaani alleged that in the //Karas Region, Swapo supposedly announced that those who do not attend their rallies will lose their jobs.
“The rural poor are coerced and enticed with government programmes. This is serious intimidation,” he lashed out, saying that drought relief food and pension money come from government coffers and not Swapo.
He called on President Hifikepunye Pohamba as the president of Swapo to appeal to party members to refrain from psychological intimidation.
Equally, the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) condemned the “barbaric and unprovoked attack of its members” allegedly by Swapo members and supporters in Tobias Hainyeko Constituency in Katutura.
In a press statement, the party accused Swapo of provoking and insulting RDP members while they were busy putting up party and presidential candidate posters.
The RDP said they called the police who arrived in three vehicles, but to their surprise a Swapo member apparently ripped off a poster while they were explaining to the police what had happened.
“RDP members then demanded the arrest of the culprit on the spot in terms of the electoral law but the police refused to act. We demand that the culprit be arrested without any further delay,” stated RDP.
The party said that they feel pronouncements by Swapo and the Namibian Police that the elections would be free and fair was nothing but lip service to deceive Namibians and the international community.
During the reburial of freedom fighters at the Heroes’ Acre in Windhoek in August this year, Pohamba pleaded with all political parties to campaign peacefully, Police Inspector General, Sebastian Ndeitunga, has also called on political parties not to intimidate each other or use weapons of any kind during political campaigns.
Namibians go to the polls on November 28 to elect a new Cabinet and President.
By Magreth Nunuhe