OUTAPI - Swapo has made an impassioned plea to members and potential voters, asking them not to abandon the ruling party in its hour of need.
Addressing hundreds of its faithful at Outapi on Saturday where the ruling party also launched its election manifesto, Secretary-General Sophia Shaningwa pleaded with Namibians to stick with Swapo in the upcoming Presidential and National Assembly elections.
The general polls are scheduled for November 27, this year. Speaking of the country’s economic status, Shaningwa said Namibia has not been spared by the problems being experienced globally.
“When things are tough like this, it is not time to start pointing fingers or change the leadership or the political party that you have been supporting. However, it is time to work together and pull all our resources together in one direction and towards improving our economy and hence our standard of living,” she said.
“There have been misconceptions by political opportunists and our detractors as far as the economy is concerned. This is not the time to misinform, mislead and anger the nation.”
She promised voters the party leadership will work tirelessly to change the status quo and improve the living standards of the citizenry, citing that they are well aware of the pressing issues in the country.
Also speaking at the jam-packed event, Swapo president and country President Hage Geingob said he is optimistic that the policies and measures enshrined in the manifesto will aid to unlock opportunities for the people and deliver on the promise of shared prosperity.
The manifesto, which the President described as a five-term contract with the Namibian people, further aims to prioritise youth development.
“It is a declaration of our intentions, motives, and views on how to take Namibia forward to bigger things and a brighter future. In it, the Swapo Party sets out its broad vision for Namibia’s future, a future characterised by inclusive development prosperity,” said Geingob.
“The Swapo Party will lead from the front in spearheading effort to economically empower and social uplift our young people.”
Given the Fourth Industrial Revolution, the President further pledged to invest in education and skills development in order to mitigate the job losses, which comes with technological advancements.
He also promised to continue fighting corruption.
“We believe that the fight against corruption should take place with adherence to processes, systems and institutions. That is why the famous cases of corruption such as AVID, ODC and GIPF are in the courts, which are independent and where government cannot intervene. This is the same with the SME Bank case. We protect no one,” Geingob added.
The Head of State, who has been registered as the ruling party’s presidential candidate, added government is serious about tackling corruption in the public service.
He once again cited the cancellation of the Hosea Kutako International Airport upgrading tender, which was inflated from N$3 billion to N$7 billion, the national oil storage facility where costs escalations saw government incurring millions.
“These actions are all clear signs that the war on corruption is not mere lip service for Swapo, but we mean business when it comes to eliminating corrupt practices from all sectors of our society.”