New report takes issue with opposition parties

OPPOSITION parties criticise the ruling Swapo party’s track record and offer some alternatives, but fail to explain how they intend to implement and fund such proposals.

A report that compares the platform of Namibia’s political parties ahead of this month’s elections has been released by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and Namibia Institute of Democracy. It states that “small parties” are not likely to pose an electoral threat to either Swapo or the main opposition parties.It describes most small parties as ethnically based.Whereas Swapo, the DTA and the Congress of Democrats can draw from the full spectrum of society, it says that others such as the Monitor Action Group (MAG), National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) and the South West Africa National Union (Swanu) rely mainly on one ethnic group.”With a clear and consistent right position, MAG draws its support from a reactionary white minority and is, therefore, located at the political and social periphery,” the paper says.It says ethnic groups are also associated with Nudo and Swanu.”Despite its claim to represent all groups in Namibia, the RP’s (Republican Party) primary aim is to get the previously advantaged back into mainstream politics,” the paper says.It calls on voters to distinguish between the parties’ perception and portrayal of themselves in their official publications and the observers’ perception.”For instance, all parties pledge unity and an open membership, but some still widely favour one particular ethnic or racial group,” it says.The writers conducted face-to-face interviews with leaders of the CoD, DTA, MAG, Nudo, RP, Swanu and the Workers’ Revolutionary Party.Swapo declined the interview while the United Democratic Front kept on postponing it until it was too late.The Namibia Democratic Movement for Change was excluded because it targets the rural population in eastern Namibia and was seen as regionally based.It states that “small parties” are not likely to pose an electoral threat to either Swapo or the main opposition parties.It describes most small parties as ethnically based.Whereas Swapo, the DTA and the Congress of Democrats can draw from the full spectrum of society, it says that others such as the Monitor Action Group (MAG), National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) and the South West Africa National Union (Swanu) rely mainly on one ethnic group.”With a clear and consistent right position, MAG draws its support from a reactionary white minority and is, therefore, located at the political and social periphery,” the paper says.It says ethnic groups are also associated with Nudo and Swanu.”Despite its claim to represent all groups in Namibia, the RP’s (Republican Party) primary aim is to get the previously advantaged back into mainstream politics,” the paper says.It calls on voters to distinguish between the parties’ perception and portrayal of themselves in their official publications and the observers’ perception.”For instance, all parties pledge unity and an open membership, but some still widely favour one particular ethnic or racial group,” it says.The writers conducted face-to-face interviews with leaders of the CoD, DTA, MAG, Nudo, RP, Swanu and the Workers’ Revolutionary Party.Swapo declined the interview while the United Democratic Front kept on postponing it until it was too late.The Namibia Democratic Movement for Change was excluded because it targets the rural population in eastern Namibia and was seen as regionally based.