Swapo secretary general Sophia Shaningwa has instructed the party’s newly appointed think tank to devise strategies that will ensure that the party continues to win the hearts and minds of the electorate.
“We have received criticism over the past years with regards to disunity, service delivery and performance by the government. This led to some of our supporters/sympathisers abstaining from participating in elections.
“This trend cannot be left unattended to. Hence, we must look at how we deal with the low-hanging fruits to make a complete difference within the budgets allocated and definitely bring about development to our people,” Shaningwa told the 34-member think tank during an induction workshop in the capital on Saturday.
She said the think tank, chaired by Andrew Niikondo, the vice chancellor for academic affairs at the Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST), must create and instill hope for current and future generations.
“We must ensure that the young people of Namibia look forward to the future with hope in the Swapo party to continue to be the banner of solidarity, freedom and justice, and take it forward into the future new world. “We are cognisant of the fact that the Swapo party-led government has delivered on its mandate, and continues to do so under various circumstances,” Shaningwa stated, adding that this, however, should not put them into a relaxation mode as a party.
“We are, therefore, here, full of energy and enthusiasm to ensure that our party continues to tangibly deliver the results and not paper statements.”
Late last month, the Swapo leadership inaugurated a new party think tank.
They resolved to restructure the think tank, and appointed a “new team of competent and qualified” Swapo cadres to provide evidence-based policy options on political and economic issues.
The main aim of the think tank is to serve as a research arm of the party, which would guide the party in policy formulation.
Shaningwa said part of the think tank’s responsibilities are to provide evidence-based policy options on political, economic, social, scientific and technological issues to the party and the party-led government through consultancy, advocacy and operational research, using appropriate technology.
“The leadership of Swapo expects you comrades to provide factual advice, without fear or favour, to ensure that our party continues to be relevant within the context of a fast-changing world,” she noted.