Isai Sipunga
National Unity Democratic Organisation secretary general Joseph Kauandenge has launched his presidential bid for the party’s presidency ahead of the national elections slated for November.
Kauandenge, currently a Nudo parliamentarian, is expected to wrestle for power against incumbent party leader, deputy health minister Utjiua Muinjangue, former Okakarara constituency councillor Vetaruhe Kandorozu and deputy Windhoek mayor Joseph Uapingene in the intra-party election.
If Kauandenge wins the internal political battle, he will be Nudo’s presidential candidate during November’s Presidential and National Assembly elections.
On Saturday, over 200 Kauandenge supporters gathered at the UN Plaza in the heart of Katutura, to witness the official launch.
The seasoned figure in Namibian politics wasted no time asserting his credentials and vision for the future.
Addressing the crowd, he invoked his extensive experience, emphasising his longstanding dedication to public service.
Using the new Senegalese president Bassirou Diomaye Faye (44) as exhibit A, he said it is time for young people to lead.
“We want the young blood to lead this world. Yesterday, in Senegal, a 44-year-old was elected as president of that country. And if you walk around, there is one thing that Joseph Kauandenge has. I am the second ‘Jacob Zuma’ in Namibia because no matter what you say [about me], I am and I can connect with the people on the ground, those when everybody else discards and think they are nobodies, I can connect with them,” he said.
Reflecting on his journey, he reminisced about pivotal moments, including his collaboration with the late Ovaherero leader, ombara otjitambi Kuaima Riruako, and said his personal investment to prevent the repossession of pensioner-owned houses during his tenure as a councillor in the City of Windhoek catapulted him to the leader and politician he is today.
Such deeds, he said, not only serve to underscore his commitment, but also to resonate with the electorate, positioning him as a candidate deeply rooted in the community.
Should he secure victory in the elections, Kauandenge pledged to elevate young voices within Nudo, affirming his commitment to fostering a new generation of leaders.
LPM
While Kauandenge was launching his bid for Nudo’s heart and soul, elsewhere in Katutura, the Landless People’s Movement’s campaign and recruitment had gone into overdrive.
Duminga Ndala, the youth wing leader of LPM, expressed confidence in the party’s trajectory and relevance, highlighting its appeal to disenfranchised demographics, particularly the youth.
With a focus on inclusivity and representation, LPM is advocating for the empowerment of young Namibians, aiming to reshape the political landscape to reflect the demographics of the nation.
“I think it’s very important that
Namibians, especially young people, come out in numbers and register to vote, because number one, it’s your civic right and number two, this is the only way we’ll be able to change the socio-economic status of Namibians, particularly young people who have been excluded from the political scene for so long, and have been excluded from strategic positions,” Ndala said.