RDP Needs Other Parties

GRAND plans the RDP [Rally for Democracy and Progress] has, we say. Indeed, these are the well-known demands of the vast majority of the Namibian people. There are a few others, too, but these could indeed be the solid foundation of a genuine government for all our people. It would be a successful government and such a government would be a government dearly loved by this country’s people who suffered so much during the last 23 years of independence and before.

However, the RDP has one crucial tool missing and without it these plans are and will stay plainly a dream. The RDP forgot to get the key to be able to open their road to success. And this key is the co-operation with the other political parties on the opposition side of parliament to form a powerful block. Only if the RDP can work together with the other parties will they have a fair chance to win the trust of the electorate. Great plans, great promises and all that sort of cheap rhetoric the electorate has heard for more than 23 years – little of it the people were able to take home. To win the trust of our people is not easy anymore, as their disappointment in party politics and their government is easy to see today. Too many have lost any hope for a better future and words and plans alone cannot bring this hope back.
Parties have to have – or have to build up – an image of power. Our people will never vote for those they see as powerless, as weak or selfish. Our opposition parties all have that negative image. Twenty-three years showed clearly that the voter never trusted the weaklings. A serious democracy needs the intensive communication between parties and voter, but there is no such thing in our paper-democracy. That should change quickly or nothing will ever change.
Peter Rudolf
By email

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