WALVIS BAY – You do not need political experience or background to serve but to know your duties and what is expected from you. This is according to Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) spokesperson Imms Nashinge, who responded yesterday to questions surrounding the party’s newly appointed vice president, who also serves as the mayor of Walvis Bay, Trevino Forbes.
Over the weekend, 56 out of 61 members of the first national council of patriots elected Panduleni Itula as the 2024 national presidential candidate for IPC.
In 2019, he stood as an independent presidential candidate and finished second with 29% of the vote. The party launched their 2024 elections campaign on 21 March 2021. Forbes’ appointment was questioned, as he is a newcomer in politics, with many saying he lacks the experience to hold such a crucial position in the party. Forbes (37) is currently the youngest vice president of a political party in the country.
Responding to the matter yesterday, Nashinge said it is unfortunate that Namibians are sometimes victims of their knowledge. “There is no law in this country that says one can only serve based on your political experience. What is political experience anyway? All that is needed is that you understand your responsibilities and do what is required of you, and serve the nation.
You should be a people’s person, and we believe he has all the qualities needed. That is why he was appointed as the vice president,” Nashinge explained.
According to him, Forbes is a patriotic citizen from the marginalised community that is ignored but plays a significant role in the development of the country. “They are not given a chance to prove themselves – but in IPC, we see potential and each and every member, regardless of which tribe they belong to. Hence political experience is a non-issue at IPC. We have people with no political background doing great things, compared to those with a political background. In fact, it is not even a requirement as long as you know what is needed from you and has the capacity to serve the masses,” he explained.
Forbes, who worked in retail, joined the IPC after its founding in August 2020, and was elected Walvis Bay mayor on 25 November 2020 when the party emerged as the largest party with four seats on that council.
He was re-elected mayor at the end of last year. According to Nashinge, the position is not full time yet; hence, Forbes will continue with his duties as the mayor of Walvis Bay.
“The vice president position is currently not full time, and he will not be moved. In fact, our patriots deployed in those positions know what to do. Also, there is not much happening at local authorities and councils due to budgetary constraints, so they cannot also push new programmes,” he said. Forbes yesterday stated he is honoured by the trust bestowed upon him.
He added he sees the new position as a motivation to work harder and serve the community of Walvis Bay. “I am committed to my community and will have to work harder to serve them with the support of IPC. Rest assured the new position does not change anything but it is a welcoming challenge I will tackle with the support of my fellow councillors and party,” Forbes said yesterday.