WINDHOEK - The country’s main opposition party, the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), says it will prioritise job creation once elected into power. 

In its election manifesto, the PDM pledges to create new job opportunities by providing more support to the 22 ‘champion sectors’ it has identified as the main drivers for economic growth. 

Party leader McHenry Venaani said they will optimally leverage the untapped potential sectors such as defence and pharmaceuticals to take advantage of the opportunities available in domestic and foreign markets to generate employment.

“The youth are energetic, spontaneous, innovative and creative. They do not see the same barriers for change to happen. They themselves are the change,” said Venaani. 

“Over the years, the incumbent government has considered young people as ‘mere projects’. Youth programmes are run as if the youth are not part of our society and national planning framework.” He said by doing this and failing to integrate the youth into the national planning and development framework, the policies of the current government perpetuate youth exclusion rather than inclusion. 

“It is our duty to return honour to our young people, to give them the opportunity to thrive in an enabling environment,” he said. 

“We need to create stepping stones for the next generation in order to ensure they can participate in building a new Namibia.” According to the manifesto, the PDM government will champion the facilitation of the smooth transition of youth from school to the world of work by establishing regional employment transition training centres, including training to increase occupational and geographical mobility of labour. 

PDM will also deliberate on actions to decentralise economic and industrial development activities to rural areas.  PDM, which currently has five seats in the National Assembly, has further promised the creation of incentives for public-private partnerships (PPPs) to benefit young unemployed people.  The party further pledges quality education that prepares youth to compete regionally and internationally. 

Venaani said PDM will further encourage the spirit of entrepreneurship amongst the youth by launching a new scheme to provide collateral-free credit up to N$500 000 for entrepreneurs. “We will guarantee 50 percent of the loan amount for female entrepreneurs and 25 percent of the loan amount for male entrepreneurs,” he said. 

PDM says it will also set up a new scheme to provide financial support for micro, small and medium industries and for employment generation in the regions. 

“We will promote economic freedom for the youth as a foundation for innovation. We will continue to promote and encourage start-ups through the creation of a seed start-up fund of N$20 000,” he said. 
In less than 55 days, Namibians will go to the polls to elect the country’s new president and members of parliament. The Presidential and National Assembly elections are set for 27 November.