GOBABIS - President Hage Geingob has praised the ruling party’s track record since taking charge of government in 1990, saying Swapo does not campaign on empty promises.
Addressing scores of Swapo supporters at the Legare Stadium in Gobabis on Saturday, Geingob once more appealed to voters to give his party another mandate for five years, in which he will finish the work already started.
“You are the bosses. I want one fixed term, starting on 21 March 2020 ending 20 March 2025. That’s all I am asking for now,” Geingob said. “We are not a party that campaigns on empty promises. We campaign based on a tested and proven track record. Commitments are made based on that record.”
Geingob, who is the Swapo presidential candidate for the 27 November vote, said he is the only chosen one, while ostensibly taking a swipe at Dr Panduleni Itula, who is also contesting the presidency.
Itula remains a Swapo member and is contesting the presidential election as an independent candidate.
Geingob said the party would address the issue of independent candidates challenging party leaders at a later stage to clear any misinterpretations or misunderstandings.
“You cannot be a member of Swapo, which held its congress, electing its candidate for president and then submit your name as a candidate for president in the national elections,” Geingob said.
As a party, he said, they will soon make an official announcement.
Furthermore, Geingob added that Swapo was the only party that can guarantee Namibia a positive growth trajectory.
“We do not live in the past, we are future-focused. Which other party has the capacity to respond to 4IR and talk about it at the launch of its manifesto?” he asked.
Geingob vowed that Swapo is continually reinventing itself.
“From the original Cabinet of 1990, only I remain. From the original Parliament, there are only four cadres remaining. The rest are new blood,” Geingob said, adding that this reaffirms the stance that change is the only constant.
He said Swapo is the only party that has united all races, ages, tribes, ethnicities and regions.
“Vote Swapo for peace, unity and development. Vote Swapo to stabilise the economy and continue Namibia’s economic growth and development. Vote Swapo to continue to defend Namibia’s sovereignty and security. Vote Swapo to fight GBV, corruption and other serious crimes,” he said.
Referring to the Swapo election manifesto launched several weeks ago in Outapi, Geingob said the document outlines the party’s social contract with the Namibian people. “In an attempt to downplay this success, the opposition propagated a false narrative around our manifesto. These are acts of desperation since the launch was worthy of a total knock-out blow,” he said. “The overarching theme of the 2020-2025 manifesto is that Swapo, with its proven governance track record, is the only party able to formulate, promote and implement policies that will guarantee inclusive development and shared prosperity,” he said.
“That is the message we bring to you, as we enter our campaign. Give Swapo another five years, to maintain peace, unity and stability. To weather economic headwinds and to safeguard the sovereignty.”
Geingob said Swapo liberated the people of Namibia from the tyranny of apartheid, characterised by social oppression and violence.
“We promote the freedom of press. We also encourage our press to be mature and scholarly in their reporting. Let us focus on facts and provide arguments that stimulate debates rather than leading readers on with opinions. Let us also note that, one person’s freedom ends where the freedom of another’s begins,” he said.
Geingob said Swapo does not take the rights and freedoms of its people lightly.
“We are committed to ensuring that all Namibians feel safe and secure in the Namibian house,” he said.