Close race expected in South

POLITICAL parties in the South are bracing themselves for a tough battle in the upcoming Regional Council elections.

The Swapo candidate in the Keetmanshoop Urban constituency, Hilma Nikanor, stepped up her campaign by hastily arranging a rally at the weekend to coincide with President Sam Nujoma’s visit to the town to officiate at the renaming of streets. Sources in the Keetmanshoop municipality told The Namibian that Nikanor pulled strings to postpone the street-naming ceremony, which had been scheduled for last Monday, so that the President could address the weekend rally.Nikanor’s chances of an easy victory became slimmer when youth leader Kauna Schroeder joined the race as candidate for the Congress of Democrats.Schroeder, chairman of the Karas Regional Youth Forum for the past four years, is popular among young voters.Then there are the rumours about dirty tricks to split the opposition vote – Nikanor has been accused of promising Ernst Jash, at that stage a Swapo member, a Mitsubishi Pajero if he defected to the DTA to stand as their candidate in the Keetmanshoop Urban constituency.At that time, two weeks before the deadline for the registration of candidates, the DTA was struggling to find a suitable candidate and might not have fielded one at all.The other close race is expected in the Berseba constituency, where Member of Parliament David Boois (Swapo), Johannes Hupita (DTA) and Salmon Dawid Isaaks (RP) are the main contenders.In the Luederitz and Karasburg constituencies, Swapo is confident of victory, as these areas are traditional ruling party strongholds.Swapo has already clinched the Oranjemund constituency, where no opposition parties fielded candidates.The Keetmanshoop Rural constituency, previously a DTA stronghold, is up for grabs after the popular DTA councillor Albert Krohne announced his retirement.A close race is expected here between veteran teacher Willem Apollus (Swapo) and Arnold Losper (COD), who enjoys strong support among farmers.Sources in the Keetmanshoop municipality told The Namibian that Nikanor pulled strings to postpone the street-naming ceremony, which had been scheduled for last Monday, so that the President could address the weekend rally.Nikanor’s chances of an easy victory became slimmer when youth leader Kauna Schroeder joined the race as candidate for the Congress of Democrats.Schroeder, chairman of the Karas Regional Youth Forum for the past four years, is popular among young voters.Then there are the rumours about dirty tricks to split the opposition vote – Nikanor has been accused of promising Ernst Jash, at that stage a Swapo member, a Mitsubishi Pajero if he defected to the DTA to stand as their candidate in the Keetmanshoop Urban constituency.At that time, two weeks before the deadline for the registration of candidates, the DTA was struggling to find a suitable candidate and might not have fielded one at all.The other close race is expected in the Berseba constituency, where Member of Parliament David Boois (Swapo), Johannes Hupita (DTA) and Salmon Dawid Isaaks (RP) are the main contenders.In the Luederitz and Karasburg constituencies, Swapo is confident of victory, as these areas are traditional ruling party strongholds.Swapo has already clinched the Oranjemund constituency, where no opposition parties fielded candidates.The Keetmanshoop Rural constituency, previously a DTA stronghold, is up for grabs after the popular DTA councillor Albert Krohne announced his retirement.A close race is expected here between veteran teacher Willem Apollus (Swapo) and Arnold Losper (COD), who enjoys strong support among farmers.