OTJINENE – Swapo Party leaders in Otjinene allege Nudo members have been transporting Swapo members out of the village by giving them false promises of jobs and cattle so that they miss voting today in the local authority election.
According to Nono Tjiueza-Katjingisiua, Swapo district mobilizer; Ernst Frans, chief of the San community; and Swapo candidates for the election Joshua Kahikuata and Batseba Kamuhenuna, Nudo members are targeting marginalised groups such as the San and those who migrated from other areas in search of work.
Tjiueza-Katjingisiua told New Era on Tuesday that one of the rival opposition members almost punched her when she and others intervened when they saw their members being loaded onto pick-ups.
“We asked our members where they were going and they said they didn’t know but were promised jobs,” she said, adding that when they did a spot check, they realised they were people who had registered to vote.
She further alleged Nudo members were intimidating their members and making tribal remarks.
“We don’t care what tribe you are. We want everyone to be given the right to vote,” she fumed.
Chief Frans said his people were being targeted because of their vulnerability, adding that when there are Swapo meetings they are called into the bush or kept in other “meetings” or given alcohol so that they are impaired.
Kahikuata said they reported the case to the local police but the latter were apparently “afraid” to intervene on Tuesday because Nudo was holding a rally and it would sound as though they (police) were siding with Swapo.
‘They (Swapo members) said they want to vote and have voter cards. We can’t have them taken away, some 150 kilometres. Please leave our people to exercise their democratic right,” he said, questioning how the town would develop if people are not allowed to vote.
But Meundju Jahanika, the secretary general of Nudo dismissed the allegations as false and fabrication by Swapo.
“It’s just a political campaign. This is not real,” he said, challenging the Swapo members to make a case if they have proof of any pre-election irregularity.
He said the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) held meetings with all the political parties contesting the local council election at Otjinene – in the presence of the police and the Omaheke Regional Governor, Festus Ueitele.
According to Jahanika, Ueitele said they wanted to maintain peace between political parties.
“Why can’t they give the names of the people who were given false promises? Let their names come out,” said Vincent Kahua, Nudo national mobilizer.
Otjinene will go to the polls today to elect the leadership for the new village council.
Four political parties, namely, Swapo Party, DTA of Namibia, Nudo and Swanu have registered to take part in the election today. The election is necessitated by Otjinene’s proclamation as a town. Each party will field five candidates for the village council.
Otjinene is the main economic centre in Otjinene Constituency in Omaheke Region.
– (Additional reporting by Nampa)