War cries ring out at Opuwo as poll drive escalates

OPUWO has turned into a political hotbed ahead of the elections, as leading political parties make frenetic last efforts to win the hearts of voters through long, flag-draped motorcades and rallies that kept the sleepy town alive most of the weekend.

Renowned for its distinctive Ovahimba people, the former Kaokoland was once an undisputed DTA stronghold. But after some of the alliance’s stronger factions broke away early this year, a number of parties have sensed a chance to break the DTA’s stranglehold on the area.Talk abounded that political parties campaigning in the area were leaving nothing to chance.As a result supporters were literally being kept and fed in ‘quarantine’ to bar any access by rivals.”Political parties should stop preventing their supporters from listening to other parties …they are preventing people from making their choices democratically,” quipped 17-year-old schoolboy Anton Kavake.His friend, Lesley, added:”Even this system of parties coming here during election time and slaughtering cattle for people is not good, they are just buying votes.”Only the National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) and DTA were billed to hold public rallies at Opuwo at the weekend, but others like Swapo and the Congress of Democrats (CoD), as well as Swanu, were not to be outdone as they maintained their presence in the town’s streets.”Police officers, could you please talk to those …we are the only ones who applied to have a rally, now everybody is all over the place,” one of the Nudo leaders shouted through a loud speaker as a four-wheel-drive bakkie flying a huge Swanu flag drove past his party’s rally on Saturday.Ironically, the Swanu vehicle had just crossed paths with a Land Cruiser flying the Swapo flag and placards of presidential candidate Hifikepunye Pohamba, which was moving in the opposite direction.When he took the stage to address hundreds of cheering supporters who braved the scorching heat, Nudo leader and presidential candidate Kuaima Riruako looked unperturbed by the constant appearance of other parties a few metres from the Nudo rally.But he still had a little dig for the ‘nagging’ Swanu.”I am not worried by Swanu, let them move around there, they only have two votes like a snake’s tongue,” teased Riruako, to the delight of his followers.Riruako, who is also the paramount chief of the Ovaherero people, reiterated that his party would continue to push for a government of national unity after the elections.”Let us share this government, let us distribute the resources of this country to all citizens equally, let us sit and decide the future of this country together after the election,” he demanded.The Chief stressed that the politics of confrontation was long gone, and what the Namibian people needed now was unity, development and a better standard of living.Pointing to the dusty and rocky streets of Opuwo, he said they were clear indications that Government continued to neglect some parts of the country in its development agenda.Riruako also used the opportunity to update his audience on the issue that seemed to be closest to their hearts – demands for reparations from Germany for the 1904-08 genocide.The streets of Opuwo livened up again on Sunday morning when hundreds of supporters of Nudo’s bitter rival, the DTA, staged a colourful procession through the town chanting “Viva DTA, viva Kaura” as a prelude to their own rally later in the day.But after some of the alliance’s stronger factions broke away early this year, a number of parties have sensed a chance to break the DTA’s stranglehold on the area.Talk abounded that political parties campaigning in the area were leaving nothing to chance.As a result supporters were literally being kept and fed in ‘quarantine’ to bar any access by rivals.”Political parties should stop preventing their supporters from listening to other parties …they are preventing people from making their choices democratically,” quipped 17-year-old schoolboy Anton Kavake.His friend, Lesley, added:”Even this system of parties coming here during election time and slaughtering cattle for people is not good, they are just buying votes.”Only the National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) and DTA were billed to hold public rallies at Opuwo at the weekend, but others like Swapo and the Congress of Democrats (CoD), as well as Swanu, were not to be outdone as they maintained their presence in the town’s streets.”Police officers, could you please talk to those …we are the only ones who applied to have a rally, now everybody is all over the place,” one of the Nudo leaders shouted through a loud speaker as a four-wheel-drive bakkie flying a huge Swanu flag drove past his party’s rally on Saturday.Ironically, the Swanu vehicle had just crossed paths with a Land Cruiser flying the Swapo flag and placards of presidential candidate Hifikepunye Pohamba, which was moving in the opposite direction.When he took the stage to address hundreds of cheering supporters who braved the scorching heat, Nudo leader and presidential candidate Kuaima Riruako looked unperturbed by the constant appearance of other parties a few metres from the Nudo rally.But he still had a little dig for the ‘nagging’ Swanu.”I am not worried by Swanu, let them move around there, they only have two votes like a snake’s tongue,” teased Riruako, to the delight of his followers.Riruako, who is also the paramount chief of the Ovaherero people, reiterated that his party would continue to push for a government of national unity after the elections.”Let us share this government, let us distribute the resources of this country to all citizens equally, let us sit and decide the future of this country together after the election,” he demanded.The Chief stressed that the politics of confrontation was long gone, and what the Namibian people needed now was unity, development and a better standard of living.Pointing to the dusty and rocky streets of Opuwo, he said they were clear indications that Government continued to neglect some parts of the country in its development agenda.Riruako also used the opportunity to update his audience on the issue that seemed to be closest to their hearts – demands for reparations from Germany for the 1904-08 genocide.The streets of Opuwo livened up again on Sunday morning when hundreds of supporters of Nudo’s bitter rival, the DTA, staged a colourful procession through the town chanting “Viva DTA, viva Kaura” as a prelude to their own rally later in the day.