nNuusita Ashipala

ONAMBANGO - Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) leader McHenry Venaani has urged northern subsistence farmers to embrace their vast land and water, following the recent good rains as a way to ensuring food security. Venaani said the country has experienced drought for a long time, adding it was time for farmers to capitalise on the good rains by ensuring that agriculture becomes the tool of self-reliance. 
“If you have a country where you don’t produce your own food, you will never talk of industrialisation because everywhere in the world where there was industrialization, it started with the stomach. First you must give your people food then you move to the next level,” said Venaani during a courtesy visit to Ondonga King Fillemon Shuumbwa Nangolo at his Onambango palace on Saturday. Venaani also used the opportunity to introduce to the king some of his party leaders who hail from the north and were elected to represent PDM in the new parliament.  He also advised the Ondonga leadership to help curb corruption - be it in allocating land or settling disputes and family feuds within the community. 
He refuted claims that his visit was politically motivated. 
“We are not here for politics, we are here as children of one house.  We are bigger than tribes; we are bigger than political parties and we are bigger than church differences. We are Namibian leaders. Tribes cannot divide our country. Political parties cannot divide our country. Political parties come and go,” stressed Venaani. The king advised the elected members of parliament to serve the whole Namibian nation irrespective of their political affiliation. 
“You are serving the Namibian nation and not members of PDM. The help that you are entrusted to render does not look at the political clothes being worn,” he stressed.