RDP’s Nghishiiko vies for a seat in Ogongo constituency
Despite being unsuccessful in both 2009 and 2014, RDP activist Joshua Nghishiiko is once again the party’s candidate for Ogongo during the upcoming elections.
09 October 2020 | Politics
NAMPA
OGONGO
Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) activist at Ogongo constituency in the Omusati Region, Joshua Nghishiiko, is the party’s candidate for the constituency during the upcoming Regional Council and Local Authority elections.
It was confirmed by RDP spokesperson Nghiningilwandubo Kashume on Wednesday that Nghishiiko’s name and that of other aspiring candidates were submitted to the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) on Tuesday.
Kashume was responding to recent media reports suggesting that the party leadership is denying Nghishiiko his democratic right to stand as an RDP candidate at Ogongo, arguing that it is a waste of resources as he is not going to win.
‘Politics is my profession’
Nghishiiko became a political activist in 2004, representing the Congress of Democrats (CoD).
He resigned from the CoD to join the RDP in 2007 and unsuccessfully contested in its regional council election at Ogongo in 2009 and 2014.
Speaking to Nampa earlier this week, Nghishiiko said politics is his profession and as such, he has approached the RDP leadership to once again authorise him as the party’s candidate for the regional council election at Ogongo in November.
“Participating in an election, as a candidate or else, keeps my party alive and visible,” Nghishiiko said.
Opportune platform
He said he believes it is during election time that political parties have an opportune platform to market their political programmes and ideology and lobby support from the electorate.
Nghishiiko boasted that he was the first politician from the opposition to campaign in Omusati against ruling party Swapo as a member of CoD in 2004.
“It was at the time Omusati was termed a Swapo no-go zone,” he said.
The activist appealed to the community of Ogongo to rally behind him this time around.
The ECN has declared 29 September to 14 October as the period for submission of independent candidates and 29 September to 16 October for the submission of political party candidates.
OGONGO
Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) activist at Ogongo constituency in the Omusati Region, Joshua Nghishiiko, is the party’s candidate for the constituency during the upcoming Regional Council and Local Authority elections.
It was confirmed by RDP spokesperson Nghiningilwandubo Kashume on Wednesday that Nghishiiko’s name and that of other aspiring candidates were submitted to the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) on Tuesday.
Kashume was responding to recent media reports suggesting that the party leadership is denying Nghishiiko his democratic right to stand as an RDP candidate at Ogongo, arguing that it is a waste of resources as he is not going to win.
‘Politics is my profession’
Nghishiiko became a political activist in 2004, representing the Congress of Democrats (CoD).
He resigned from the CoD to join the RDP in 2007 and unsuccessfully contested in its regional council election at Ogongo in 2009 and 2014.
Speaking to Nampa earlier this week, Nghishiiko said politics is his profession and as such, he has approached the RDP leadership to once again authorise him as the party’s candidate for the regional council election at Ogongo in November.
“Participating in an election, as a candidate or else, keeps my party alive and visible,” Nghishiiko said.
Opportune platform
He said he believes it is during election time that political parties have an opportune platform to market their political programmes and ideology and lobby support from the electorate.
Nghishiiko boasted that he was the first politician from the opposition to campaign in Omusati against ruling party Swapo as a member of CoD in 2004.
“It was at the time Omusati was termed a Swapo no-go zone,” he said.
The activist appealed to the community of Ogongo to rally behind him this time around.
The ECN has declared 29 September to 14 October as the period for submission of independent candidates and 29 September to 16 October for the submission of political party candidates.
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