DTA appeals to parties to unite

THE opposition Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA) this weekend sent out an SOS – a call to other opposition parties to unite in an effort to unseat Swapo in November.

The beleaguered opposition group held its Central Committee meeting in Windhoek on Saturday, at which DTA President Katuutire Kaura stuck to the theme of a united opposition as the only hope of taking power from Swapo. “If we the leaders of opposition parties sublimate our personal interest and egos to the national interest, we shall take over this government in November,” he said.Addressing the central committee meeting, Kaura suggested that the parties now stood a better chance of getting rid of Swapo because the ruling party’s leaders had turned on one another, and that choosing Lands Minister Hifikepunye Pohamba as its presidential candidate “is a serious mistake”.He did not explain except to say, “honestly he hasn’t got it man.”Kaura said Namibians had only themselves to blame for having allowed a “nepotistic corrupt government” to rule since Independence.This had been compounded by political organisations splitting “into miniature tribal parties instead of getting together”, a reference to the breakaway of the Republikein Party (RP) and the National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo).The DTA has seen its support dwindle since Independence in 1990, when it won 21 of the 72 seats in the National Assembly.This dropped to seven in the last national elections five years ago.With the departure of the largely white voters of the RP and the votes of the Herero-speakers who might follow Nudo, the DTA appears to have little chance of keeping its present number of seats.As a result, it gives Kaura little potency to “have Pohamba for breakfast” in the presidential race at the end of the year.”If we the leaders of opposition parties sublimate our personal interest and egos to the national interest, we shall take over this government in November,” he said.Addressing the central committee meeting, Kaura suggested that the parties now stood a better chance of getting rid of Swapo because the ruling party’s leaders had turned on one another, and that choosing Lands Minister Hifikepunye Pohamba as its presidential candidate “is a serious mistake”.He did not explain except to say, “honestly he hasn’t got it man.”Kaura said Namibians had only themselves to blame for having allowed a “nepotistic corrupt government” to rule since Independence.This had been compounded by political organisations splitting “into miniature tribal parties instead of getting together”, a reference to the breakaway of the Republikein Party (RP) and the National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo).The DTA has seen its support dwindle since Independence in 1990, when it won 21 of the 72 seats in the National Assembly.This dropped to seven in the last national elections five years ago.With the departure of the largely white voters of the RP and the votes of the Herero-speakers who might follow Nudo, the DTA appears to have little chance of keeping its present number of seats.As a result, it gives Kaura little potency to “have Pohamba for breakfast” in the presidential race at the end of the year.