Weekend political wave hits Zambezi

The usually-reserved Zambezi Region was a hive of political activity over the weekend, with politicians crisscrossing the area carrying bags filled with political promises.

From meetings held with regional government leadership to donations to community members and endless gifts for traditional leaders, who could play a major role in the political alignment of their subjects, Zambezi was the country’s political hotbed over the past few days.

Swapo Party, Landless People’s Movement (LPM) and Namibia Economic Freedom Fighters (NEFF) all descended on the border town with one mission - capture the voters.

If anyone doubted whether the political activity on social media has been replicated on the ground in the regions, this weekend certainly placed any scepticism aside.

Often neglected when it comes to the allocation of resources, politicians were on a charm offensive in Zambezi, promising heaven on earth to inhabitants of the region.

This was also a perfect opportunity for regional leaders to lay their demands on the table, but whether those demands will be attended to once campaign fever subsides is a question for another day.

According to the Namibia Statistics Agency’s latest a multidimensional poverty index report, Zambezi is amongst the regions with the highest poverty rates in the country, with regional leaders certainly hoping that the political attention results in the improvement of the lives of the region’s inhabitants.

Campaign kings

The candidates for the top positions at the upcoming Swapo congress were in the region to canvas for support from regional delegates.

All three vice-presidential candidates - Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, Saara Kuugongelwa-Amadhila and Pohamba Shifeta - were in Katima Mulilo to sell themselves to congress delegates.

Sophia Shaningwa was the only secretary-general candidate present over the weekend, after her competitor Armas Amukwiyu indicated that he would not make it.

His absence raised suspicions that he might be planning to withdraw from the race; a suspicion he dispelled.

“I am currently in Tanzania as part of my ongoing political efforts and education. I would like to assure you comrades that I am still contesting for secretary-general and have tendered my apologies in advance,” he said.

Philanthropists

Meanwhile, LPM members were also in the region to woo the electorate through humanitarian support.

Their first stop was the Lwanyanda informal settlement where residents were recently left desolate after the Katima Mulilo town council demolished their homes.

The demolition was carried out by the council and Kayuni Investments following a court order which stated that the residents occupied the land in question illegally.

According to LPM’s youth command leader Duminga Ndala, the visit was mainly to pay homage to the residents and to address the issue of relocation of the affected communities.

According to her: “Local authority should have a more human perspective in their approach as opposed to demolishing people’s houses. Access to housing is a human right”.

The trip was concluded with a community meeting at Kongola.

Economic activists

NEFF was in the region to attend to its economic freedom agenda, which saw leader Epafras Mukwiilongo and the party’s commissar for economic development Michael Amushelelo visiting Liselo Combined School, which is being constructed through Chinese assistance.

“When I say China is busy with neocolonialism, many people think I hate the Chinese, but - in actual fact - I hate anyone who wishes to oppress others.

“Neocolonialism is the use of economic, political, cultural or other pressures to control or influence other countries. How can a country that is rich in mineral resources be receiving aid? We are receiving aid simply because we don’t have ownership of our mineral resources,” Amushelelo wrote on social media regarding the visit.

He added: “We must remove the sellouts from power before it’s too late. Zamibia was on the verge of losing everything to China; China had already taken the airports, the state broadcaster and other key sectors. They were also busy putting Chinese nationals into the Zambian police force, but thanks to the people who voted for a new government, Zambians are now starting to see change in just less than a year”.