John Muyamba

RUNDU – Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa says the ruling party has identified young leaders to contest the regional council and local authority elections later this month. 

Shaningwa, who was addressing a campaign event at Rundu’s Kaisosi recently, said the candidates fielded were trusted cadres with a good understanding of the party programmes, manifesto and procedures developed over time. 

“Throughout the country, we have also identified the youth to take up the positions as local authority and regional councillors, and also considered gender representation; that means the women have also been considered to take part in the upcoming elections,” she said. 
Shaningwa said there were no losers in Swapo during the intra-party process that selected candidates for the upcoming polls. 

She added all party leaders emerged victorious and should forge ahead in unison by mobilising and rallying behind the chosen candidates. 
“We have gone through the process of candidate identification in order to fulfil the best candidates for our party, and this was done through internal democratic processes within our party structures in the regions and the districts,” she said. 

She reminded the party supporters of their political opponents, whom she said were those organising themselves to unseat the ruling party. 
“Therefore, we shall democratically, as Swapo party members, go out in unison and determination to see to it that come 25 of November Swapo party sections, branches, regions and districts will be protected by the soldiers of Swapo party,” she said. 

She dismissed assertions by the opposition that Swapo has failed to deliver to the Namibian people 30 years after independence. 
“Why are we jealous? Why don’t we say the truth? Why don’t we appreciate? Yes, I understand it is politics but why should you deviate from the truth?” she questioned. 

“Comrade Pohamba once said if you cannot see go and touch, the roads are there, the schools are there, the green schemes are there go and touch the police stations are there – everything has been brought in after independence. I want to challenge those who are saying nothing has happened. When they drive every day they go left, right and centre, they are travelling on the tarred roads. Why do they follow the roads if they are denying that nothing has happened?”
- jmuyamba@nepc.com.na