Irene !hoaës
24 November 2009
Gobabis — The Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) took its election campaign to the Omaheke Region recently.
A sizable number of supporters flocked to a venue in Epako. One speaker after another took to the podium before the party's President Hidipo Hamutenya welcomed about 42 new members, mostly young people from Aminuis and Witvlei, who joined the RDP from other political parties such as the National Unity Democratic Organisation (Nudo) and the Swapo Party.
Hamutenya said the RDP is a youthful party, judging from the members that he has been addressing at different towns around the country.
"I am proud we managed to assemble young dynamic people. We will do the right thing for the youth. The fact that the youth are embracing RDP shows we are on the right track," he told his supporters.
Hamutenya said his party is inspired to work for the youth to provide them a better future.
"You have been waiting for the last two years for the green scheme [and] Vision 2030 but none of them have borne any results for any of us. Why you have decided to make a change is testimony that you have lost faith and confidence in Swapo," he told the new members.
According to the RDP President, he and his supporters saw political decay and degeneration in the parties that they hail from and decided to change.
"We are convinced that [the other] parties had no vision, capacity, intention or drive to unite the nation," Hamutenya claimed.
He said both the post-independence presidents of the country have failed to fulfil their promises, noting that former president Sam Nujoma has promised to fight poverty, while the current President, Hifikepunye Pohamba promised to fight corruption but has failed to do so.
"Over the last five years, corruption has grown. Billions and millions have been stolen in front of Pohamba's eyes but he has not arrested anybody," Hamutenya added.
He referred to a recent Food and Agricultural Organisation (FAO) report, which revealed that about 400000 Namibians are hungry, adding the ruling party has not denied this.
Hamutenya said the situation in Namibia is a tragedy because the country is not poor but wealthy, with plenty of natural resources, adding that an incapable management and a corrupt government cause the whole problem.
"How long will Namibians condone such a rotten government? What are you afraid of; it is your democratic right to change. Maybe there was no alternative but we are here today," he stated.
Other ammunition that Hamutenya used against the ruling party were claims that construction contracts are only given to Chinese companies, while the country in the past made use of construction specialists from Rehoboth, who today suffer and are jobless.
"Maybe that's the prize for the Chinese scholarships," Hamutenya said.
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