President Hage Geingob has implored Swapo members to leave no stone unturned and fire on all cylinders in campaigning for victory for the ruling party ahead of next month’s much-anticipated regional council and local authority elections. 

Geingob told Swapo members to use different approaches such as house-to-house, in churches, villages and towns to ensure victory. Namibians will go to the polls on 25 November to elect new local authority and regional councillors in what is expected to be an exciting showdown.

 Launching the party’s campaign at the weekend in Windhoek, a fired-up Geingob admitted some “comrades we have entrusted with the regional councils and local authorities did not possess the needed skills and qualifications to deliver on the bread and butter issues in communities”. 
He added the party has now fielded younger and qualified candidates to deliver on its mandate of providing to the Namibian people.

 “Therefore, during the recent internal party elections, we ensured that young and qualified party cadres, from both genders, were elected to contest in the November elections. A process of renewal has taken place and we trust that they will do justice to the mandate of service delivery without any excuses,” he said. 

Geingob further reminded electorates of what Swapo has achieved in the last 30 years, saying the Namibia of today is markedly different from the one the party inherited at independence. “The Swapo Party machine, which we are starting to ignite today, is a powerful and resilient machine, baptized in the extreme heat of the crucibles of the heroic struggle for Namibia’s independence. For 60 years, Swapo has served the people of Namibia well, by delivering on the mandate of independence, development, unity, peace and stability,” he said.

 “For 60 years, Swapo has carried the torch of unity, liberty and justice, in the interest of all Namibians. As we enter this campaign, no one can say that we have not changed the face of our cities, towns and villages. The Namibia of today is markedly different from the one we inherited at independence. Windhoek is not the same city we found at independence. Katutura did not have tarred roads, it did not have lights and many services were not available to the majority black population. It is therefore disingenuous, if not sinful to say that nothing has been done.” 
Geingob reminded party leaders and members to campaign vigorously and fire the “tried and tested Swapo machine on all cylinders”.  

“Party wings, rank and file members, supporters, and sympathisers are all united with the objective of winning the elections resoundingly, and to deliver prosperity to all Namibians. Comrades, I challenge you, to leave no stone unturned to campaign for victory 24/7, from house to house, church to church, village to village, and town to town,” said Geingob. 
The upcoming elections will be widely contested with a number of independent candidates, associations, as well as new parties, such as the Landless People’s Movement (LPM) and Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), contesting the regional council and local authority elections for the first time.

 From the onset, Swapo has already won four out of the 121 constituencies at stake ahead of the elections. The four uncontested constituencies already won by Swapo are the Mankumpi, Nkurenkuru, and Tondoro in Kavango West region and Uuvudhiya in Oshana region. 
– ktjitemisa@nepc.com.na