Oshakati — A group of local business people in the north have vowed to support Swapo Party Secretary General and vice-presidential candidate, Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana.

During a press conference held on Tuesday at Ongwediva Trade Fair Centre, the group led by Namibia Chamber of Commerce and Industry (NCCI) Northern Branch Chairperson, Tomas Iindji, said they would endorse Iivula-Ithana as the party's vice president at the Swapo congress next weekend.

The press conference was also blessed by the presence of Iivula-Ithana herself who was reportedly on her way to the Kunene Region to campaign.

"It is undisputed that Swapo Party will be given another mandate by the Namibian electorate to govern Namibia in the next election and whoever wins the vice-presidency of the party will emerge as the party's presidential candidate, and eventually the Namibian head of state," Iindji said in a statement issued at the press conference.

"We therefore need the individual who would win the vice-presidency of the Swapo Party at the upcoming congress to be a trusted cadre, an experienced leader, both at the party and state level. A visionary leader with the ability to make wise decisions, a fearless defender of the party and the sovereignty of the country, an individual with unquestionable integrity as well as someone with ability to put a dead end to corruption," said Iindji.

According to Iindji, Iivula-Ithana has demonstrated that she is a principled leader with strong faith, dedication and loyalty to the Swapo Party and who almost single-handedly defended Swapo with determination and conviction when the party was under constant attacks by opposition parties.

Iindji said Iivula-Ithana has worked hard as the secretary general to strengthen the administration of the party and achieved great professionalism in the running of Swapo.

"She drove the establishment of the Swapo Party think tank, which injected new ideas in the party and made a significant contribution to the election manifesto and policies which will be adopted by the congress," said Iindji.