UDF, Swapo members clash at Swakop campaign rally

ELECTION fever has hit Swakopmund with the UDF claiming that Swapo members disrupted its meeting at the DRC informal settlement on Saturday.

Elifas Khoaseb, Chairperson of the UDF Swakopmund branch, said he was following the guidelines of the Election Act of 1994 in organising political rallies while his Swapo counterparts were not. Khoaseb is the current UDF councillor at Swakopmund and his party’s number one candidate for next month’s election.He claimed a rally he organised at the DRC for Saturday afternoon was sabotaged by Swapo on purpose.”When I arrived at the venue, a Swapo flag was already put up on stage.”Khoaseb said he immediately reported this to the Police as the Election Act stipulated that two parties may not rally closer than 500 metres from each other.The councillor further said chaos had erupted at the meeting, attended by approximately 1 000 people, when members of the two parties started arguing.The Police were called again and they arrived with back-up to calm the situation.”I showed them the documents again that notified the Police of the meeting, and they said we could continue.”Khoaseb said Swapo members, including two town councillors, then started a procession of vehicles and people right past their meeting while a woman tried to take down the UDF flag.He said a new megaphone was also damaged in the earlier struggle.On Sunday, the UDF held a meeting at Mondesa with Swapo holding a meeting less than 200 m away.”This is still against the law.I am very disappointed at the attitude of the two councillors for not following the rules.It is the duty of the ruling party to ensure the laws are adhered to,” said Khoaseb.The UDF at Swakopmund registered 10 candidates for the local government election.The other nine candidates are: Sophia Motinga, Reverend Andreas Apollus, Elizabeth Rieth, David Am-/Gabeb, Magde Aribes, Alexander Maletzky, Maria Basson, Apius Haraseb and Falensia Awases.Khoaseb is the current UDF councillor at Swakopmund and his party’s number one candidate for next month’s election.He claimed a rally he organised at the DRC for Saturday afternoon was sabotaged by Swapo on purpose.”When I arrived at the venue, a Swapo flag was already put up on stage.”Khoaseb said he immediately reported this to the Police as the Election Act stipulated that two parties may not rally closer than 500 metres from each other.The councillor further said chaos had erupted at the meeting, attended by approximately 1 000 people, when members of the two parties started arguing.The Police were called again and they arrived with back-up to calm the situation.”I showed them the documents again that notified the Police of the meeting, and they said we could continue.”Khoaseb said Swapo members, including two town councillors, then started a procession of vehicles and people right past their meeting while a woman tried to take down the UDF flag.He said a new megaphone was also damaged in the earlier struggle.On Sunday, the UDF held a meeting at Mondesa with Swapo holding a meeting less than 200 m away.”This is still against the law.I am very disappointed at the attitude of the two councillors for not following the rules.It is the duty of the ruling party to ensure the laws are adhered to,” said Khoaseb.The UDF at Swakopmund registered 10 candidates for the local government election.The other nine candidates are: Sophia Motinga, Reverend Andreas Apollus, Elizabeth Rieth, David Am-/Gabeb, Magde Aribes, Alexander Maletzky, Maria Basson, Apius Haraseb and Falensia Awases.