WINDHOEK – As the ruling party prepares to get its election machinery in order, the party’s President Hifikepunye Pohmba has warned against complacency and in the same breath urged party members to behave at all times.
Pohamba gave the sound advice on Friday evening when opening the two-day fifth Central Committee meeting of Swapo Party and the first for the year.
“We should always be mindful that our political adversaries will not hesitate to attempt to gain political capital from any error that may be committed by any of our members. We must always abide by the Swapo Party code of conduct and remain vigilant at all times. All Swapo Party members have a duty to behave in an exemplary manner and not bring the good name of our party into disrepute,” said Pohamba.
A National Preparatory Committee that will spearhead the party’s preparations for the general elections in November was also established during the two-day meeting. “Party members who will be selected to serve on the National Preparatory Committee and its sub-committees will have important responsibilities on their shoulders,” he said.
Pohamba, who was flanked by the party’s Vice-President Dr Hage Geingob and Secretary General Nangolo Mbumba, urged party members to support those selected to serve on the committee to carry out their duties, in order to ensure a resounding electoral victory, which will see the ruling party getting the mandate to rule for another five years.
“This can be achieved by ensuring that all aspects of our electoral campaign are well oiled and coordinated to operate without fault,” he said. By working together as members of one team, said Pohamba, only then can the ruling party be strengthened and thereby increase the numbers of its elected representatives at national, regional and local authority levels.
Although some of the party’s regional structures struggled to elect officials in various positions, Pohamba announced that all party structures were “now filled”.
“The election of national leaders and officials at different levels of the party during the congress and the national conferences of various organs, which preceded the ordinary congress, were part and parcel of this groundwork. We are proud that this phase of our intra-party democratic process has been successfully completed,” said Pohamba.
Regarding service delivery, he said the fact that there are many citizens and communities who still require public services must keep ruling party members on their toes to work harder and accelerate service delivery at all levels.
“It is our duty to ensure that all our people have access to these basic services and are able to enjoy the benefits that come with economic development and social progress.”
“While we are proud of these successes, we must not become complacent. There are thousands of Namibians who still do not have access to these services,” he said.
By Mathias Haufiku