Steven Klukowski
KEETMANSHOOP – The affairs of Swapo Party would no longer be run as before, said Agnes Tjongarero the assigned party leader for //Kharas Region.
She made this promise when addressing party members during an extraordinary district conference held earlier this week in Keetmanshoop to elect a candidate for the upcoming Keetmanshoop Urban constituency by-election.
“We are talking about bread and butter issues here, hence we need to work harder this time around, doing something extraordinary and different from the previous campaign in order to emerge victorious,” Tjongarero strongly emphasised.
She stressed that those who want to join the party structures must prove their capability and come up with new ideas.
Tjongarero further expressed her unhappiness with the youth of the region.
”If there is a Fonteintjie fishpond and fertile ground for growing fruits and vegetables lying idle, why can’t the youth utilise this to its optimum potential in order to provide food for the region?” she said, also urging the youth to feel free to request assistance from government to implement such projects should the need arise.
Tjongarero however cautioned that the following five-year term would be tough.
“All I want from you contestants is to be able to motivate yourself if so requested as you will at the end compete with candidates from other movements for this one position,” she said.
Party regional coordinator Matheus Mumbala was adamant that party members who do not want to listen to party directives, even after being engaged, should be expelled from the party. “It is better to join others if you feel uncomfortable in Swapo,” he advised.
He reasoned that the ultimate goal of constituency and local authority councillors should be to serve the people.
“Next time I want to see more young people contesting vacant leadership positions,” added Mumbala.
The regional coordinator further proposed that the term for the country’s president should be limited to two consecutive ones whilst that of parliamentarians should be limited to three consecutive ones.
Mumbala in conclusion called on party members to work hard to ensure that Keetmanshoop Urban constituency remains in control of Swapo Party.
At the end of the internal election Festus Shilimela (24 votes) emerged victorious as Swapo Party candidate for the upcoming Keetmanshoop Urban constituency by-election, trailed by Paul Johannes Kisting (14 votes), Sussana Marthino Ikela Kamati (7 votes) and Willem Ulrich Dawids (5 votes).