RDP ‘will focus on issues’

THE Rally for Democracy and Progress has told its critics to write the party off at their own peril.

Launching the party’s election manifesto in Windhoek yesterday, RDP President Hidipo Hamutenya said 16 months since the party’s formation was relatively short to have made a decisive political impact but some have made hasty judgements based on a number of superficial conclusions.Hamutenya vowed that the RDP will give its opponents a run for their money in this year’s elections.’We are entering this election cycle resolved that this time around elections are not going to be another empty formality, held to confer superficial legitimacy on the Swapo Government. We are going into this election campaign to raise the fundamental issues facing this country,’ he said.He said the RDP will generate debate on national issues and its manifesto was designed to bring such issues to the forefront of debates.’We are not interested in baseless and childish insults, such as calling people Judas Iscariots and talk of tail-cutting and so on. We are above those utterances. We will not waste our time and intellectual capital on uttering words of hate and intolerance,’ the former Cabinet Minister said.Hamutenya said the RDP will present its debate in a manner that shows political maturity, discipline and genuine love for the Namibian nation.’We believe that much sooner than later, the Namibian people will know the difference between intelligence and foolishness,’ he said.Hamutenya said the thrust of the party’s political work was aimed at raising people’s level of political and socio-economic consciousness.’We seek to foster a deeper and broader understanding of the burning issues of poverty, economic stagnation, failing education and health services which the nation is facing today,’ he said.According to Hamutenya, Namibia, like some other African countries, has been in reverse gear for some time but there has been hardly any open discussion about why this is the case.He said their manifesto created such a platform.’Since the RDP is not a party of ‘yes men’, praise singers and sycophants, we invite you all to scrutinise the document and to raise questions emanating from it. Discuss the document without fear or favour. In so doing, we seek to promote a culture of open debate.’We aim to transcend the politics of fear which the apartheid past and subsequent culture of autocracy have fostered in our society in recent times. Ours will be a government were scrutiny will be encouraged and not secrecy or opposition to openness. To our political competitors, we challenge them to let the different schools of ideas bloom.’The RDP held its first Central Committee and National Executive Committee meetings over the weekend and is the first party to officially launch its manifesto for this year’s elections.Hamutenya said they did it after establishing themselves in all 13 regions of the country. christof@namibian.com.na