WALVIS BAY – Independent Patriots for Change leader Panduleni Itula says he is prepared to lead Namibia as its next head of state.

He made the statement shortly after parading the streets of Walvis Bay to canvass for support ahead of this year’s watershed Presidential and National Assembly elections.

Over the weekend, Itula also launched the party’s ‘Go Out and Register’ campaign at the coastal town.

The IPC leader later in the day addressed hundreds of supporters at the Kuisebmond Stadium, where he encouraged them to go out in large numbers to register to vote in the coming elections.

Addressing the crowd, the dentist-turned-politician said when Namibia gained independence, Namibians looked ahead with optimism, hoping a new dawn of prosperity had arrived.

“Little did we know the intentions of our own brothers, our own comrades in arms, that they will never serve the people first. They served their bellies, their families, comrades and relatives. Little did we know that we were in for a ride of 34 years of poverty, hunger and unemployment,” Itula charged. According to him, the government tried hard for the first few years after independence, as some of the infrastructures were well-maintained. 

However, Namibia’s hospitals and schools are dilapidating, and learners must walk long distances to attend school.

He further painted a gloomy picture of the situation in contemporary Namibia, saying thousands of qualified teachers are sitting at home, while most of its citizenry are subjected to poverty and hunger.

“I am prepared to be your leader in all your dimensions and diversities. IPC is a transformational force in Namibia’s politics, and can lead the country to prosperity with integrity,” Itula vowed.

Namibia, he said, has gone through a very painful period during the colonial era of the Germans, where people were tortured and dispossessed of their ancestral land.

If elected to the highest office in the land, those forming part of his Cabinet will not serve themselves, but the entire country.

“No ill-discipline will be tolerated among IPC politicians and ministers,” he said. 

“We are at a crossroads, where Namibia will have to decide… It is a crossroad where you and I will have to make a decision that will dictate the future of our nation,” the charismatic politician said.

He then reminded IPC supporters that their obligation is to register to vote, and vote for the change they deserve.

“We shall continue our marching until Namibia truly becomes economically free. We shall continue our marching, and you will know that your leader is ready to be the president and the leader of the entire nation, serving everyone equally,” he said.

Yesterday, the Electoral Commission of Namibia kicked off its mass voter registration exercise, which runs until 1 August 2024.

-edeklerk@nepc.com.na