DTA wants money for elections

THE DTA has revealed plans to introduce a motion requesting Government to pay party agents and to provide them with transport during elections.

DTA President Katuutire Kaura said on Saturday that his party will table the motion next month. Kaura said 2 000 polling points during elections placed political parties in a difficult position, as they did not have enough money to send an agent to each station.According to him the situation created room for vote rigging.He cited as an example the fact that the results of 17 000 voters at Okahao in the North took two hours to announce, as the ruling party was unopposed there, while those in a constituency of a few thousand like Mariental took two days.”It appears as if votes are just allocated to the opposition parties and the ruling party takes the lion’s share.That is the reason why we shall introduce a motion in Parliament to eliminate disputes after elections,” he told the DTA Executive Committee.He said Namibia has enjoyed peace and economic stability for 17 years.”It is because we as opposition are respecting the rule of law and the outcome of elections that are not always free of suspected irregularities,” he charged.The National Assembly session resumes in the second week of September.Kaura said no party wished to be the opposition forever and the DTA would do its utmost to prevent Swapo from having absolute power, as that corrupted people.The DTA leader also expressed disappointment at the “conspicuous silence” of the Anti-Corruption Commission on the disappearance of millions while targeting those involved with the theft of smaller amounts.”Why is the Anti-Corruption Commission running after the small fish while the big fish remain untouchable?” he said.He also accused the ruling Swapo party of implementing “black apartheid”.”The ruling party implements apartheid in broad daylight but when you point it out they say you are promoting tribalism,” Kaura said.He was referring to questions that he raised at a DTA rally in Aroab earlier this year.He had asked why, out of six constituencies in the Karas Region, only two were controlled by local people and four by people from the “proverbial North”.”Why is the Mayor of Keetmanshoop not a Titus or Witbooi but an Elago? Are there southerners capable of ruling the South? Why is South inundated by political carpetbaggers while the local people are watching in amazement? I shall not be deflected or detracted from asking these questions,” Kaura said.He came under fire from Swapo when he made that statement.Swapo president Sam Nujoma said Kaura was promoting tribalism and needed to be called to order.Kaura said it was his moral and democratic right to question what was happening.He said southerners were not benefiting from the resettlement farms in their area, as the land was used “to gain votes by resettling a person with two chickens”.”We shall not keep quiet while the Swapo party Government is mismanaging the natural resources of our motherland,” he said.He called on Namibian to open their eyes and speak out against wrongs.Kaura said 2 000 polling points during elections placed political parties in a difficult position, as they did not have enough money to send an agent to each station.According to him the situation created room for vote rigging.He cited as an example the fact that the results of 17 000 voters at Okahao in the North took two hours to announce, as the ruling party was unopposed there, while those in a constituency of a few thousand like Mariental took two days.”It appears as if votes are just allocated to the opposition parties and the ruling party takes the lion’s share.That is the reason why we shall introduce a motion in Parliament to eliminate disputes after elections,” he told the DTA Executive Committee.He said Namibia has enjoyed peace and economic stability for 17 years.”It is because we as opposition are respecting the rule of law and the outcome of elections that are not always free of suspected irregularities,” he charged.The National Assembly session resumes in the second week of September.Kaura said no party wished to be the opposition forever and the DTA would do its utmost to prevent Swapo from having absolute power, as that corrupted people.The DTA leader also expressed disappointment at the “conspicuous silence” of the Anti-Corruption Commission on the disappearance of millions while targeting those involved with the theft of smaller amounts.”Why is the Anti-Corruption Commission running after the small fish while the big fish remain untouchable?” he said.He also accused the ruling Swapo party of implementing “black apartheid”.”The ruling party implements apartheid in broad daylight but when you point it out they say you are promoting tribalism,” Kaura said.He was referring to questions that he raised at a DTA rally in Aroab earlier this year.He had asked why, out of six constituencies in the Karas Region, only two were controlled by local people and four by people from the “proverbial North”.”Why is the Mayor of Keetmanshoop not a Titus or Witbooi but an Elago? Are there southerners capable of ruling the South? Why is South inundated by political carpetbaggers while the local people are watching in amazement? I shall not be deflected or detracted from asking these questions,” Kaura said.He came under fire from Swapo when he made that statement.Swapo president Sam Nujoma said Kaura was promoting tribalism and needed to be called to order.Kaura said it was his moral and democratic right to question what was happening.He said southerners were not benefiting from the resettlement farms in their area, as the land was used “to gain votes by resettling a person with two chickens”.”We shall not keep quiet while the Swapo party Government is mismanaging the natural resources of our motherland,” he said.He called on Namibian to open their eyes and speak out against wrongs.