Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) president Panduleni Itula has reaffirmed his party’s unwavering commitment and readiness to assist President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah achieve her vision and development agenda for Namibia. 

Itula, who this week paid a courtesy visit to State House, held extensive deliberations with Nandi-Ndaitwah, whereby the two leaders exchanged notes and perspectives on issues of national interest and policy matters.

During the engagement, Itula said their meeting signals the beginning of “a new era” in Namibia’s democratic journey, one where the ruling party and opposition can share ideas for the common good of the people.

Itula, who is the leader of the country’s official opposition IPC, shared that Namibia is facing various challenges that government cannot resolve alone, and hence, IPC stands ready to support the new administration under Nandi-Ndaitwah on policies that serve the broader interest of the nation, particularly on issues of economic and social development. 

“It’s not often that you get the ruling party and the official opposition sitting and sharing ideas. We had an incredibly cordial meeting where we exchanged views on matters of absolute importance to nation-building,” said Itula. 

Welcoming the IPC delegation to State House, Nandi-Ndaitwah stated that the meeting was a fulfilment of her promise to Parliament that her government would actively engage with all opposition parties in a spirit of unity.

“You might recall that during my State of the Nation Address, I told Parliament, especially members of the opposition, that going forward, our government will engage with you. We are here today to fulfil that promise,” she said. 

The meetings between Nandi-Ndaitwah and leaders of various political parties’ form part of the President’s boarder approach to open dialogue with political players and key stakeholders, which aims to foster a culture of political cooperation and unity.

The high-level talks brought together the President, her Vice President, the Prime Minister, Cabinet ministers and senior advisors, alongside IPC’s president Itula and his shadow Cabinet. 

Itula stressed that while political parties will naturally differ, cooperation is vital if the nation is to remain relevant globally.

“Our political differences will not hinder our strategies. We are lagging in our development. We can build as many roads and bridges as necessary, but if we are not investing in the wellbeing of our people, then we are failing our nation,” he added.

Worried 

Touching on Namibia’s long-term development outlook, Itula said that the country’s overall growth trajectory is worrisome and needs collective intervention. 

“Under Vision 2030, the country envisioned that 28,000 hectares will be covered by green schemes and NDP6 refers to only 5,600 hectares. We consume 160,000 tonnes of maize in Namibia, yet we are harvesting under 10,000 tonnes. 

That means we must still import about 150,000 tonnes,” he pointed out.

Employment figures are equally alarming, he added. “In 2018, there were 725,742 people in employment. Today, the record says we have 546,825. That is a 24.7% reduction. With a shrinking workforce, our economy and GDP are under strain.”

He further identified corruption and weak local governance as major barriers to development, arguing that effective service delivery depends not only on decisions made by politicians, but on the performance of local authority executives.

“Without those local authorities carrying out their jobs in terms of the executive, it doesn’t matter what the politicians decide. We need to make sure the money is spent and goes to the people that need it, and not to the pockets of a few exploiting the State,” he said.

Jobs and Investment

Itula stressed that job creation cannot come from government alone, but requires a stronger private sector supported by clear and investor-friendly policies. He also warned against careless political statements that could scare investors away.

“Governments don’t create jobs. It’s the private sector we need to encourage. But we cannot encourage them if we are uttering phrases and rhetoric likely to chase them away,” he said.

One example, he said, was the debate around state ownership of 51% of investments in the excretion industries. 

“It was not clear whether that meant capital investment or infrastructure. If you look at the Husab mine, bought for $2 billion and renovated for $3 billion; that’s $5 billion in infrastructure. 

Our national budget is around $93 billion. We cannot afford to risk investment flight through unclear policies,” he added.

Despite his willingness to collaborate, Itula insisted that IPC would not shy away from holding the government accountable.

“Where the government is right, IPC has a duty as the official opposition to support it. 

Where the government is wrong, our voices will be louder than the scratching streets of Katutura,” he said.

-ljason@nepc.com.na