Windhoek
Swapo Party’s secretary for information and mobilisation, Helmut Angula, has called on party members to remain united and committed to the goals and objectives set out by the ruling party.
Angula made the call during a press conference on Tuesday in Windhoek. The Swapo Party on Tuesday celebrated its 56th birthday. Angula said the date of the party birthday bash would be communicated at a later stage.
“We must protect and safeguard by all means possible our hard-won freedom and independence,” Angula said. He also urged party members to rise beyond sectarian interests and support the Harambee Prosperity Plan (HPP) to ensure it is implemented in all sectors and aspects of social and economic development of the country.
“As we celebrate the 56th founding anniversary of our Swapo Party today, we’re aware of the fact that we’re now in the midst of the second phase of the national liberation struggle, which is for economic emancipation” he added.
He said the second phase of the struggle is hard and difficult, just like the first phase of the struggle to independence.
“The main characteristic feature of the enemy is the economic struggle against poverty, ignorance, corruption, nepotism, tribalism and economic sabotage,” stated Angula.
Angula says it is incumbent on all citizens, especially the Swapo Party rank-and-file membership, to unite and wage a relentless struggle against all ills that block or impede the march to total social and economic emancipation.
He said through the party’s election manifesto, the Swapo led government has already worked out strategic plans in the form of the National Development Plan (NDP) 1 to 4, Vision 2030 and the newly launched Harambee Project Plan (HPP).
Swapo Party – formerly the South West Africa People’s Organisation – a political party that began as a liberation movement in Namibia (formerly South West Africa) that advocated for independence from South Africa and became the country’s ruling party following independence in 1990.
It was founded in 1960, and after South Africa refused a United Nations order to withdraw from the territory in 1966, Swapo turned to armed struggle. Swapo’s largest political base lay among the Ovambo people in the northern part of the territory.
Led by Dr Sam Nujoma and backed by the Angolan ruling MPLA (Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola), as well as the Soviet Union and Cuba, Swapo used Angola as a springboard for incursions into Namibia.
Military operations were conducted by Swapo’s guerrilla force, the People’s Liberation Army of Namibia (PLAN). Beginning in 1978 South Africa made periodic retaliatory land and air strikes into Angola.
Herman Toivo Ya Toivo, co-founder of Swapo, was imprisoned on Robben Island in South Africa for a 20-year term in 1968, but was eventually released in 1984.