Govt vehicles in Swapo campaigns denounced

The political opposition has condemned the ruling party for allowing its candidates to crisscross the country using state resources, particularly vehicles fuelled by taxpayers, in their pursuit for support for the upcoming elective congress next month.Swapo candidates vying for the party’s top three positions - vice-president, secretary-general and and deputy secretary-general - have been to several regions, presenting their case to the party’s structures and various wings since the launch of its internal campaign last month. Today, they are in the Kavango regions.Prime Minister Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila, international relations minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah and environment minister Pohamba Shifeta are all entitled to official vehicles, even for private use. But using the vehicles in political campaigns does not sit well with the public, including the opposition.Ask themSwapo’s executive director Austin Samupwa said the candidates must explain why they are using state resources, if it is indeed true.“I don’t work for the government. You have to take it up with them,” he said.“I did not see those things; I only see candidates. We don’t police them, but you must check with the candidates because I do not know what their employment contract states and provides for.”Political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah said this conduct is unjustifiable and stressed that being the governing party does not provide for automatic usage of state resources.“State resources must, as a general rule, be used only for the performance of official business of government; hence those resources may not be used for political campaign or personal purposes,” he opined.“Doing so not only violates basic laws and rules that regulate how state resources should be used, but is also an act of corruption.”‘Disgusting’Josef Kauandenge, secretary-general of the National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo), also condemned Swapo’s use of state resources for its own internal election campaigns, calling it “disgusting”.“Swapo Party politicians have already misused this country’s scarce resources to line their own pockets for over 30 years, plundering us into poverty all over. These politicians cannot continue to use public resources for their own internal campaigns. They must be asked to use their own private cars for this purpose as this has nothing to do with the country but [is] party politics,” he said.“It is regrettable that even the president is quiet on this matter as he should have laid down guidelines and totally forbid the use of state resources for inter-party campaigns.”‘We have all the money’Political scientist Rui Tyitende argued that the use of government vehicles in political campaigns is a blatant abuse of state resources as there is a clear separation between the Namibian government and Swapo as a political party.“What happened to Sophia Shaningwa saying ‘we have all the money’? They should use party resources for party activities and government resources for government activities,” he said.“We are going through an economic crisis and every cent should be spent on projects and services that promote the welfare of the most vulnerable in society, not a political party that is being deliberately perverse with taxpayer money for their own political campaigns.”The official opposition Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) has for long cried foul over irregularities that are repeated every time the window to elections opens.PDM treasurer and veteran member of parliament Nico Smith said Swapo’s blatant abuse of state resources indicates that it has no comprehension of the separation between the party and state.“It undermines our democracy because it gives Swapo an unfair advantage over opposition parties during election campaigning, but also in between elections,” he said.“Even within Swapo, the playing field is uneven, since those serving in government have access to public money, while Swapo members like the youth don&#039;t have that access, especially if they don&#039;t have a beneficiary in government.”jemima@namibiansun.com

Govt vehicles in Swapo campaigns denounced

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Harry Tjihukununa 2 Year Ago 13 October 2022

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Govt vehicles in Swapo campaigns denounced

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Harry Tjihukununa 2 Year Ago 13 October 2022

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