THE Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) secretary for international affairs, Kandy Nehova, on Saturday launched his campaign to run for the party’s presidency.
Nehova is the first RDP member to publicly announce his intention to challenge incumbent president Hidipo Hamutenya, who earlier indicated that he had no intentions of stepping down.
The launch follows an RDP executive committee decision that all top positions within the party will be up for grabs.
In a packed hall of a Windhoek hotel, Nehova explained that he had decided to run for presidency to revitalise the RDP as an important player in the Namibian political arena.
Nehova told his supporters, who are mostly young RDP members, that the reason to stand for presidency is also to prepare the party to successfully participate in the November 2014 presidential and general elections.
“I want to meaningfully contribute to resolving the burning social, economic and political challenges facing the nation,” he said.
Nehova noted that as a party of the people, the RDP can only meet the needs and aspirations of the nation if it is properly structured and organised in a way that ensures appropriate management of all financial, material and human resources at its disposal.
He said if he succeeds in his bid to become president of the party, he will pay particular attention to fostering unity and comradeship within the RDP family, upholding inner-party democracy, advocating for teamwork and promoting equal treatment and recognition of party cadres.
“I will strive to constantly focus time, energy and resources on the main objective of our party, which is to wrestle political power from the ruling Swapo Party in order to form a progressive government,” he stated.
Nehova added that Namibia is endowed with vast natural resources above land, underground, in the sea and air.
“Unfortunately what is lacking is the ability and political will on the part of the Swapo government to recognise and redistribute those resources fairly for the benefit of all,” he indicated.
Nehova said the government has allowed corruption to flourish while continuing to “pay lip service” to national reconciliation.
Nehova and Hamutenya are co-founders, among other members, of the RDP which was formed in 2007.
Hamutenya lost to President Hifikepunye Pohamba during the 2004 Swapo extraordinary congress as the party’s presidential candidate for national elections that year.
Before he joined the RDP, Nehova lost his position as Swapo regional councillor for the Ongwediva Constituency in 2004, which consequently led him to lose his post as chairman of the National Council.
Two years ago, Nehova and two other senior party members Peter Naholo and Miriam Hamutenya were suspended for allegedly bringing division and disrepute within the party, but were reinstated after appearing before a disciplinary hearing.
Nehova was then removed from his post as secretary of mobilisation and assigned to his current post of international affairs’ secretary. He was replaced by Libolly Haufiku to lead the party’s mobilisation activities. – Nampa
