RP taps into faith as it drives home political message

MORE than a hint of evangelical fervour hung in the air as the Republican Party took its political crusade to the coast at the weekend.

In a tent, set up just a few yards from the Roman Catholic Church at Tamariskia, on Saturday large speakers were set up, sending religious music booming out into the far reaches of the neighbourhood. Despite the RP flags and banners flying from the tent poles, to curious passers-by the gathering resembled more of a church gathering than a political rally.Behind the wheel of a vehicle travelling through the neighbourhood to encourage people to attend the gathering, was a pastor.Later, as supporters arrived, the pastor got the crowd motivated by encouraging them to place the running of the country in the hands of God.He said that ultimately God was the leader of the RP.Party supporters joined the party’s Erongo Regional Council candidate Edna Botha in singing hymns, dancing and clapping hands around the tent before the arrival of the party president Henk Mudge.A local gospel band then took over from the CDs of religious music that had been played, performing popular church hymns and encouraging supporters to “follow Jesus”.Since reactivating the party, which had been part of the DTA alliance since the late 1970s, the RP has been campaigning on strong religious grounds.The party’s president Henk Mudge told The Namibian that the country’s moral situation had been neglected for too long.Mudge said churches were feeling left out of the electoral process following the announcement of President Sam Nujoma that he would only recognise four of the country’s religious denominations.He said the party had gained strong support from the churches because of the party’s vision of restoring the country’s moral fibre and offering the church’s teachings a place in elections.Mudge maintained that women and child abuse was rife because the country’s morality was at an all-time low.Botha opened Saturday’s meeting by reading passages from the Bible and a short sermon to encourage people “to meet Jesus”, before Mudge turned the focus on identifying problem areas in the country that the party promised to rectify.Despite the RP flags and banners flying from the tent poles, to curious passers-by the gathering resembled more of a church gathering than a political rally.Behind the wheel of a vehicle travelling through the neighbourhood to encourage people to attend the gathering, was a pastor.Later, as supporters arrived, the pastor got the crowd motivated by encouraging them to place the running of the country in the hands of God.He said that ultimately God was the leader of the RP.Party supporters joined the party’s Erongo Regional Council candidate Edna Botha in singing hymns, dancing and clapping hands around the tent before the arrival of the party president Henk Mudge.A local gospel band then took over from the CDs of religious music that had been played, performing popular church hymns and encouraging supporters to “follow Jesus”.Since reactivating the party, which had been part of the DTA alliance since the late 1970s, the RP has been campaigning on strong religious grounds.The party’s president Henk Mudge told The Namibian that the country’s moral situation had been neglected for too long.Mudge said churches were feeling left out of the electoral process following the announcement of President Sam Nujoma that he would only recognise four of the country’s religious denominations.He said the party had gained strong support from the churches because of the party’s vision of restoring the country’s moral fibre and offering the church’s teachings a place in elections.Mudge maintained that women and child abuse was rife because the country’s morality was at an all-time low.Botha opened Saturday’s meeting by reading passages from the Bible and a short sermon to encourage people “to meet Jesus”, before Mudge turned the focus on identifying problem areas in the country that the party promised to rectify.