RDP fights for its life in Windhoek East

The Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) has cried foul at Swapo’s claim that the Windhoek East constituency should not have an RDP regional councillor. According to the RDP’s deputy spokesperson, Nghiningiluandubo Kashume, the remark was made by Foreign Affairs Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah at a recent 'Know Your Leaders' campaign. The event was organised by Swapo’s Windhoek East constituency office and was aimed at introducing its leaders in that constituency to the residents in preparation for the 2014 general elections. “RDP is shocked and indeed disappointed to observe the ruling party’s behaviour,” Kashume said. “They are not happy to see Windhoek East Constituency run and overseen by the RDP.” The RDP’s Nic Kruger emerged victorious as the constituency’s regional councillor in the 2010 local authority elections and Kashume believes that a lot of development has taken place under Kruger. “It is an open secret that Windhoek East constituency under Swapo deteriorated considerably while under the RDP massive development has taken place.” He said it is misleading to think that the RDP has no space to fully participate in the country’s governance. “The choice made by Windhoek East residents to vote for the RDP should be respected and no citizen should be intimidated to vote for political parties out of fear.” The politician added that blind voting has resulted in a lot of loss in terms of service delivery, corruption, incompetence and economic stagnation. “The community of Windhoek East must be applauded for their effort to grow democracy and maintenance of peace and stability.” Kashume called on all political parties contesting elections in that constituency to understand that the residents of the constituency are “well informed and vote on merit rather than political blindness”. In any democratic environment, ruling parties win some constituencies and lose others to the opposition parties, he said. “The ruling party must only educate its members to understand that the opposition party today will be the ruling party tomorrow.” “[Swapo] must know that over a period of 23 years, the citizens of this country have been giving them a chance to improve their [the citizens’] standard of living.” He claims that this did not happen and hence the electorate is opting to vote for opposition parties as alternative to Swapo. WINDHOEK ELVIS MURARANGANDA