Corruption is our biggest enemy – Nandi-Ndaitwah

Swapo vice president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah says corruption is the greatest enemy of nation’s development.

Corruption manifests in different forms, she says.

Namibians must be able to identify any form of corruption, join hands and fight it in every possible manner.

“Economic stagnation will remain. The economy will not grow to create the necessary jobs, but the number of unemployed youths will grow, thus forcing them to engage in criminal activities.

“The gap between the rich and the poor will widen, and social services will deteriorate,” she says.

“Above all, peace, security and stability will be threatened and people will forsake our party.

“Therefore, dear Namibians, to avoid all those evils, we must change our attitude and dedicate ourselves to effective service delivery to the people.”

Nandi-Ndaitwah was speaking at a Swapo election rally at Rundu in the Kavango East region on Saturday.

She called on all party members, irrespective of who they supported during the internal election last year, to support the current party leaders in the run-up to next year’s presidential and National Assembly elections.

“We accepted the outcome of the congress, and you heard from those who contested. I now urge each and everyone of you as Swapo party leaders and members at all levels in the party to be disciplined at all times.

“Today it is Netumbo, Sophia and Herunga, tomorrow it can be anyone. That is so because in Swapo, we all have equal opportunities,” she said.
She said Swapo is a formidable and truly democratic party.

According to Nandi-Ndaitwah, no other party in the country can claim to be more capable, mature and democratic than Swapo.
She said Swapo’s leaders and members must be proud of that.

“We can have our own internal contests as permitted by the party constitution, and yet we can emerge united and focused.

“We must not compromise on that. As party members, regardless of who you were supporting during the internal elections, we must all fully support and work with the elected leaders,” she said.

She said party members are duty-bound to work together for the party to continue to grow stronger to ensure it emerges united from elections.
Nandi-Ndaitwah also used the opportunity to thank all delegates to the seventh congress of the party for re-electing her as Swapo’s vice president.
“As members and leaders we have an obligation to maintain unity and strengthen Swapo continuously to maintain the leading role in the affairs of our country, to protect the interests of our people, and to defend the gains of our revolution,” she said.

She said party members should expand the party’s membership through continuous recruitment efforts.

She urged them to avoid disunity and character assassination as such can destroy the party.

Nandi-Ndaitwah said disunity prevents Swapo from addressing unemployment and poverty.

She also spoke out against tribalism.

“Tribalism is a concern that destroys countries. That is why Swapo’s constitution has burnt it and all forms of discrimination,” she said.