THE Landless People’s Movement (LPM) candidate for the Keetmanshoop Urban constituency Maxie Minnaar has kicked off her campaign with the promise to write off all accumulated debts pensioners owe the local authority.
“This is not a gimmick, but an economic necessity for most vulnerable members of our society,” she pledged at a press conference the movement’s regional leadership held at Keetmanshoop on Wednesday.
Minnaar, Popular Democratic Movement candidate Abraham Goagoseb and Swapo party candidate Festus Shilimela are in the race for the Keetmanshoop Urban constituency by-election set for 15 January 2020.
The regional constituency councillor’s position became vacant after former veterans’ affairs deputy minister Hilma Nicanor resigned to contest for a National Assembly seat in last month’s national elections.
Minnaar further pledged to increase the old-age grant payout points at Keetmanshoop as part of the LPM’s dedicated social programme for senior citizens.
“In many cases the elderly have to sleep outside the NamPost building (the only payout point) just to be first in the line to receive their grants. This is unacceptable,” she stated.
According to her, LPM is serious in resolving the urban land crisis if its representative is elected.
“An LPM-led regional government shall give title deeds to all so-called illegal plot owners in urban areas in the first 100 days after winning elections,” she pledged.
“We will address this thorny issue with urgency,” she added.
Moreover, she said LPM will develop more recreation parks and play-grounds for children, if it wins the by-election.
She promised that LPM would also implement stricter regulations for shebeens, and will shut the doors of all illegal shebeens.
Minaar urged residents of the constituency to come in numbers and vote for her.
