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Home / UDF’s mediocrity led to Swapo victory - //Garoeb
UDF’s mediocrity led to Swapo victory - //Garoeb
2015-12-03Staff Report 2 Khorixas The honorary president of UDF has blamed the local leadership of his party for their defeat at the northwestern town after Swapo trounced its political rivals during last Friday’s local and regional elections. Justus //Garoeb called for a complete transformation of the UDF and for a new leadership to take charge at Khorixas, which has been the opposition party’s stronghold since Independence. “New leadership is needed and the current leaders are to be blamed for UDF losing in the elections. The conflicts during the UDF primaries gave Swapo votes on a platter, as the same person won who did nothing for the last ten years [in office],” //Garoeb charged. “The UDF must be blamed for losing Khorixas to Swapo. Some leaders have been there for ten years, but are weak and the same constituency councilor, which is weak, was supported by the people to stand as a candidate during the primaries,” //Garoeb told New Era yesterday. //Garoeb this week also spoke openly for the first time about his support for Tjombe, whom he wanted to be the candidate of the UDF party for the regional election candidate for Khorixas Constituency. //Garoeb - who formed the UDF in the 1980s, - asked why such a weak leader should be given another five years as Khorixas constituency councilor. The former UDF president also claimed some UDF members voted for Swapo after his preferred candidate, Gustophine Tjombe, lost out to Sebastian !Gobs in the UDF primaries in September. !Gobs has been Khorixas constituency councilor for the past ten years. “I’m still a UDF member and still remain in the top structures of the party, so I am still here in Khorixas,” !Gobs responded, when asked about his plans for the future after he received only 2008 votes against Swapo’s Elias /Aro Xoagub, who scooped 2 554 votes in the regional election for Khorixas Constituency. Following the local authority election four seats at Khorixas Town Council will now be filled by Swapo councillors, while the UDF will take up the remaining three seats. On allegations that he has deserted the UDF, //Garoeb said he would never leave the party that he founded.” It will never happen. I’m the founder of the UDF and I will always support it,” he insisted. //Garoeb, who is also regarded as the king of the Damara people, wants to move his office furniture to Khorixas, in order to open the Damara King’s Council offices right opposite the #Aodaman Traditional Authority office, but said his plans have been hampered by a lack of transport. 2015-12-03Staff Report 2
