RUNDU – The All Peoples Party (APP) has set itself a target of securing at least 15 local authority seats and five constituencies ahead of next month’s vote.
Secretary general Vincent Kanyetu is optimistic the party will perform much better this time around, compared to 2015 when it could only secure four local authority seats.
In the last regional council and local authority elections, the APP managed to obtain four seats, including one on the Rundu Town Council, the Divundu Village Council as well as Maltahohe and Grootfontein.
“According to our evaluation, we are really going to do much better than before; from four, we are looking for at least 15 local authority councillors and five regional councillors for the first time,” said Kanyetu, who was addressing journalists at Rundu on Tuesday.
APP has fielded candidates in 16 local authorities.
The party is contesting elections at Lüderitz, Rundu, Divundu, Nkurenkuru, Tsumeb, Grootfontein, Okahandja, Oshakati, Ondangwa, Eenhana, Henties Bay, Oniipa, Outjo, Maltahohe, Windhoek and Ongwediva.
According to Kanyetu, only two out of all candidates for the regional elections are women.
“We have filled candidates in Kavango West and Kavango East; we have a candidate in Otjozondjupa – in Tsumkwe to be specific, and we have another in Kunene, Outjo Urban constituency – and we have the rest of our candidates in the four ‘O’ regions,” he said.
The party has fielded candidates mostly in the Kavango East and West regions.
In Kavango East, the APP is contesting all six constituencies, while they have fielded candidates in Mankumpi, Ncuncuni and Musese constituencies of Kavango West.
Kanyetu believes the party has grown and is confident ahead of the upcoming polls despite campaign challenges associated with the Covid-19 pandemic.
“So, at least there is progress for our party – and despite Covid-19 challenges, we are having our own way of operation on the ground. We are reaching out to the people through various means; we are talking to the electorate,” he said.
“We are confident from the four local authority councillors we had: one in Rundu, the other in Divundu and another in Maltahohe and Grootfontein; now we will get more into the local authorities and get into regional councils.”
– jmuyamba@nepc.com.na