President Hage Geingob says over the past 33 years of independence, the ruling party has been working hard to unite Namibians and fight inequalities, adding that history should be embraced. 

He stated that there are people who constantly attack Swapo, saying it has been in power for too long, but never uttered a word when they were fighting for independence. 

“They forget that we, in Swapo, mobilised Namibians to wage a bitter
and protracted diplomatic and armed struggle for the independence of Namibia,” said Geingob during the party’s 63rd anniversary at Grootfontein on Saturday.  

He added: “We should celebrate our gains as the governing party in a Namibia that we liberated through our sweat
and our blood. We liberated Namibians to ensure a life of dignity for each and every citizen.” 

Geingob’s wish is for the party to continue and complete the important work of the second phase of the struggle, which is socio-economic emancipation.

“The Swapo Party has been hard at work for the equal rights of all citizens to access health, education, food and security for
the well-being of our nation. We have created jobs for Namibians; we have provided healthcare; we have rolled out infrastructure across the country; we have created universities where there were none. We have rolled out one of the most comprehensive social protection systems
in Africa,” he observed.  

“We succeeded in that historic mission at a time when the DTA collaborated with the enemy to keep the majority of Namibians oppressed and underdeveloped. Shame on them!” stressed Geingob.

He said as the ruling party which is driving the developmental agenda of Namibia, the Harambee Prosperity Plan I and II is about accelerating the National Development Plans for the prosperity of citizens. 

“We have set up a Fourth Industrial Revolution Task Force, which is gearing up Namibia for the future of work, artificial intelligence, robotics and the internet of things. Through the Business Rescue Task Force, we are working to protect businesses and entrepreneurs,” he continued. 

Geingob mentioned that the potential of the green hydrogen and ammonia industry and the discoveries of oil to transform the country are enormous. 

“We should seize these opportunities that can eliminate unemployment and poverty in our country. People were asking, where are the jobs? As we speak, they are being created in the green hydrogen industry, as well as the oil and gas sectors. Pilot projects are being rolled out in the Erongo region, and the
//Karas region will follow very soon,” he said assuredly. 

Geingob also touched on the issues
around division and power. 

“Unnecessary divisions and uncontrolled fights for positions are a threat to our existence. We must firmly uphold the values of comradeship in the Swapo Party, and we must constantly improve on leadership capacity at local authority levels in order to provide effective services to Namibians”, he implored. 

He added: “The only path for us to continue enjoying the trust of the Namibian people is when we deliver services to our people. Swapo is like a relay race. Sam Nujoma passed on the baton to Hifikepunye Pohamba, and yours truly is about to pass on the baton to Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah.” 

He said the past 63 years of the party’s history is a testament to its longevity as a revolutionary movement, having covered an eventful path by winning the trust and respect of the majority of Namibians. 

“When I addressed the National Executive Committee (NEC) of the African National Congress, I urged my comrades in the ANC that we must be vigilant as former liberation movements,” he noted.

Geingob met with ANC officials while on a State visit to South Africa last week. He told the ANC that both parties are inseparably bound by a difficult history of struggle against the tyranny of apartheid oppression.

“The bonds of solidarity between our two nations are etched in sweat and blood, etched in our collective and glorious history of struggle and triumph against the brutality of apartheid,” he emphasised.