KEETMANSHOOP – Vice President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, during a Swapo star rally, appealed to the //Kharas electorate to give the control of the region back to the ruling party.

She made this plea when addressing party members, supporters and sympathisers at a packed J Stephanus Sports Stadium on Saturday. 

“The mission and message to the residents of //Kharas region today is simple in the sense that Swapo has delivered and will continue to deliver. Give us back the mandate,” she said. 

The VP continued: “As your presidential candidate, I want to assure you that the team you have decided to send to parliament will not fail you once mandated and under my leadership, be rest be assured your government is in the right hands and that it will deliver.”

NNN, as Nandi-Ndaitwah is affectionately known, told the crowd Swapo is in the region on a mission aimed at consolidating their democracy and protect the revolution to continue its developmental agenda for the better future of our people. 

“I am directing all party members, supporters and sympathisers to conduct themselves in the most respectful and peaceful manner during the campaign, on election day and beyond, we must resist all provocations with dignity, “ said the veteran politician.

She further underscored the fact that the upcoming elections will be dominated by young people as the majority segment of registered voters. 

“It is, therefore, important to underline that it is time our young people not only to played their role by exercising their democratic right to vote, but also to determine the future they want,” she added. 

She told the rally that the region is positioned as a powerhouse of economic development in Namibia. 

“It is the hub of the emerging industries and the centre of Namibia’s clean energy mix, which includes, solar, wind and wave,” she said in justification of her statement. 

The Vice President then recommended that the nation prepares the people in the region to get maximum benefits from these resources. 

“We must get prepared particularly considering the high-rate of unemployment among the youth in the country of which //Kharas is not an exception,” she added. 

She emphasised the pressing need to prepare young people in the region to take up the employment opportunities to be created from these emerging industries. 

“Since the natural resources belong to all Namibians, it is therefore, our responsibility to ensure that all Namibians benefit from these resources,” the VP stressed.

 NNN also gave an assurance that Swapo is fully committed to prioritising small and medium enterprises (SMEs) to enable them to fully participate in all sectors of the country’s economy. 

“Our success is determined by the knowledge and the skills we must have locally, thus the importance of education and training is therefore key to success,” she cautioned. 

Demonstrating how the Swapo-led government attached importance to education and training, she highlighted spending in education and health.   

“For the next five years, Swapo has committed through its manifesto to gradually upgrade clinics to primary health centres and gradually deploy medical doctors.  

“We have prioritised the provision of mental health facilities, including the setting up of nationwide rehabilitation centres among others, “she said.

Referring to the agriculture section, Nandi-Ndaitwah said it is the key sector that will not only grow the economy, but will in addition ensure that once fully optimised, no Namibian will go to bed hungry and further become a sector that has a potential to create more jobs at different levels. 

“Here in //Kharas, with some progress made in relation to the land around Neckartal Dam, I want to assure you that time has come for the dam to feed the region and the nation,” said Nandi-Ndaitwah. 

She explained that the government is committed to accelerating the productivity of green schemes to enhance national food production for food security and job creation.  

“We must get to a stage where we do not allow red tape and bureaucracy to affect our service delivery and as a result must all commit ourselves to perform our duties ethically and with integrity as such, corruption is the enemy of development and as such you must reject it,” said Swapo’s presidential candidate.

The party’s regional coordinator, Mattheus Mumbala urged government officials to continue striving towards delivering quality services to all citizens in the region.  

“It is hereby my humble plea that we should vote for Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah to send her as our next president to State House,” he added. 

Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa reiterated that Nandi-Ndaitwah is and will be the party’s sole presidential candidate. 

“Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah has been submitted, recorded and registered as the Swapo party candidate in compliance with the Electoral Commission of Namibia’s requirements and regulations,” she emphasised.