TSUMEB - Landless People’s Movement (LPM) leader Bernadus Swartbooi said his party is targeting to bring down Swapo in the November Presidential and National Assembly elections.
“We are ready like a lion. LPM is not a party for mosquitoes, however, it’s a party with committed members and the reliability to ensure the well-being of all Namibians,” he stated whilst addressing party members during the LPM’s fifth anniversary celebration at Tsumeb on Saturday.
The party has four seats in parliament, which are occupied by party president Swartbooi, Utaara Mootu, Edison Isaacks and Henny Seibeb.
It was founded in 2017, and registered on 8 February 2019.
Dancing and singing supporters and sympathisers gathered at the Oscar Norich stadium to officially launch the party’s campaign for the 2024 Presidential and National Assembly elections.
Addressing the supporters, Swartbooi said some political party leaders behave like lions because they are hungry for power, and they do not care about the Namibian people.
“They just want to be president, and forget the people who voted them into the positions. Let’s not repeat the same mistake of voting for irresponsible parties. It’s never too late to make the right choice and vote for the LPM,” he argued.
Swartbooi added that the LPM is a serious party with serious people with responsibility, and it shall never be compared to corrupt parties. “Some political parties call themselves wonderful names, but they don’t have an interest in the people of this country. Some are funded by outside countries, for example the British, and they want to bring in the British system in Namibia because they don’t have their own ideas,” he charged.
Swartbooi, who is a former deputy minister of land reform, said his party has achieved enormous success in fighting against corruption in local municipalities, and engaging community members to fight poverty and high unemployment.
“Another great achievement is that the LPM has taken huge numbers of young people into politics, who were never exposed to politics. Some of them are Members of Parliament, while others are local authority councillors,” he narrated. The politician said his party will focus on land distribution and affordable housing for all Namibians.
“The LPM is striving to remove the confusion about grades 10 and 11 because this system has led many learners to the streets due to high failures,” he added.
Moreover, Swartbooi has expressed his happiness over the high attendance of the Tsumeb residents, who showed up in big numbers to fill up the stadium.
“The LPM is not like other political parties which transport people from various towns to attend their rallies,” he claimed.
In the same vein, the party officially welcomed and received new member Engel Nawatiseb, who was the former deputy minister of ICT. Nawatiseb quit the ruling party, and joined the LPM last month.
Also speaking at the event, Mootu urged people to vote in big numbers and vote for the right candidate, who is Swartbooi.
“He is a true leader, who refused to remain in a corrupt party. Down corruption down, down Swapo down!” she exclaimed.
Mootu described Swartbooi as the candidate who is always committed to bringing unity within the party.
“I strongly believe that he is capable of making a big difference that will enable him to win the 2024 election. Therefore, we are not scared of any Swapo candidate,” she reiterated. Another 2024 election campaign was held by the party at Grootfontein in the Otjozondjupa region yesterday. These campaigns will continue in various towns over the next months until the elections.