Cabinet mobilised for Swapo election campaign

PRESIDENT Hifikepunye Pohamba has called on Cabinet ministers to do all they can to make the Swapo Party’s electoral campaign a success.

Addressing the first Cabinet session of the year yesterday, Pohamba said all ministers must submit information required for the compilation of the party’s manifesto to Prime Minister Nahas Angula, who in turn will forward it to the party’s Secretary General, Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana.
“This must go hand in hand with the necessary work to mobilise the electorate so that they can rally behind the Swapo Party to win a resounding victory,” said Pohamba, who doubles as Swapo leader.
For a moment it sounded as if Pohamba was addressing a Swapo leadership meeting as he laid out requirements for the party’s readiness for the presidential and general elections.
He will be seeking a second term, as was announced by the party after the last congress.
Some sources said that was also the main reason why his office organised a Swapo rally in Ohangwena very early in the year.
Pohamba said the year 2009 will be a momentous period in the development and strengthening of the country’s democracy.
“We are proud that Namibia has consistently held peaceful democratic elections since independence, where voters exercise their preferences freely. This is the source of strength for our democracy. It is also a measure by which the international community gauges our commitment to constitutional and democratic governance,” he said.
He said there was a need for the Namibian political system to continue promoting the values of peace, tolerance, stability and social cohesion.
“In this light, all political parties must conduct their election campaigns in a peaceful manner. All unnecessary provocations that may lead to confrontations and violence must be avoided. In fact, Namibia must learn lasting lessons from the difficult experiences of other countries where politically motivated violence has caused untold suffering. We cannot afford to repeat such mistakes,” he said.
The President called on the Electoral Commission of Namibia to work with all partners in the preparations for the elections to facilitate a smooth and credible voting process.
Turning to governance issues, Pohamba said ministers must focus their energies on improving the living standards of all Namibians.
“The current global economic crisis calls for innovative approaches to minimise its impact on our country. It demands deeper reflection and the development of home-grown solutions to overcome the challenges faced by our people in the short and long terms,” he said.
He recognised the achievements that each minister made in the areas of their responsibilities but called for more to be done to achieve the goals of Vision 2030.
“As much as we strive for an effective and vibrant democracy, we must also focus on the bread-and-butter issues, including infrastructure development, housing, health, education, rural development, social welfare and job creation,” he said.
He said 2009 was another year of hard work to enhance the well-being of the people.
“We must not relent in our political commitment to make Namibia a better place. We must unequivocally demonstrate that we are committed to govern through the implementation of pragmatic policies that make a positive difference in the lives of our people and improve the economic trajectory of our country,” he said.
He called on all leaders to do everything in their power to strengthen the social fabric by providing exemplary leadership.
“We must face the current difficult economic situation with the optimism that we will weather the storm through resilience and by taking informed decisions.”
– christof@namibian.com.na