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EDITORIAL: Opposition parties operating in isolation

Yesterday’s protest against the Electoral Commission of Namibia’s (ECN) decision to award a ballot printing tender to South African firm Ren-Form once more highlighted the extreme level of disunity among opposition parties when it comes to electoral issues.

The protest, organised by the Popular Democratic Movement, was dominated by people clad in the party’s traditional blue. There were expectations that other opposition parties would also join the long walk to electoral freedom from UN Plaza to the ECN headquarters, but that was not the case.

It seems each party is dealing with this matter in its own way, instead of devising common strategies which would surely carry more weight.

It is a known fact that opposition parties have been fragmented over the years, a vacuum which has been used by the ruling party Swapo to maintain its grip on the country.

While some might argue that opposition parties should not unite in matters of common interest, the reality is that most of them are too small to stand on their own when it comes to national affairs.

All opposition parties expressed their frustrations over the Ren-Form contract, but very little came of it apart from letters of demand from lawyers and press releases condemning the situation. We live in a country where 21 political parties are scrambling for just over 1.4 million voters, and until they close ranks when it really matters, Swapo will continue basking in electoral glory.

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Namibian Sun 2024-11-21

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