RP targets ‘official opposition’ status

THE recently re-activated Republican Party (RP) has vowed to become the official opposition party by the end of the year.

Growing poverty and unemployment, the RP says, are its greatest concerns as the party takes part in its first elections today since breaking away from the DTA last year. Wrapping up its local authority election campaign in Windhoek on Wednesday night, RP President Henk Mudge said he was not overly optimistic about the party’s performance in the Local Authority elections because of a lack of resources.He viewed them rather as a stepping stone to better results when the regional and national elections roll around in November.Mudge said it was time for Namibians to vote for change.He said other opposition parties had failed to take up the issues of minority groups to Central Government, while thousands of people lived in shameful conditions.”I refuse to believe that with the available resources a government can’t see to it that 1,8 million people have food and a roof over their heads.It’s just not possible,” Mudge said.The DTA, Mudge said, only “moaned and complained and did nothing about it”.”If we were concerned about positions and money, if we cared about anything but the people, we could even have joined Swapo,” he told RP supporters.He charged that joining forces with the Congress of Democrats (CoD) “was not an option” as it had only managed to muster the votes of “unhappy” former DTA supporters since its establishment.On the other hand, he claimed, Swapo was only interested in serving Oshiwambo-speaking Namibians and its leaders were absorbed in self-enrichment rather than the plight of the majority.”Is the so-called father of the nation just the father of some? It is inexcusable that he makes such comments about white people.I am firstly a Namibian and then a white person,” Mudge said to resounding applause.”Swapo received a country where things worked.One would have expected that things would have worked even better by now,” he said.Mudge also bemoaned the apathy among white Namibians who, he said, appeared unwilling to plough their knowledge into the betterment of the country.Mudge pleaded with them not to be “intimidated” and “shouted down” by Swapo in their efforts to improve the well-being of the country.He further claimed that it was unacceptable that Government allowed the influx of Chinese to build the country’s infrastructure and to run small businesses, while side-lining the so-called “Basters” and “Coloureds” whom he said built the country prior to Independence.”I don’t mind us doing business with them [the Chinese].But when they take the food out of our mouths, then it is a problem.”Former DTA Administrative Secretary Nico Smit tops the party’s list for the Windhoek local election, followed by Klara Gowases.In an election plea, Gowases said she would fight against daily water cuts, evictions and the abject living conditions especially of Katutura residents and those living in the informal areas.Marianne Petherbridge, Petrus Soroseb, Jakes Jacobs, Ignatius Semba, Eckhard Vorster, Carola Engelbrecht, Frederick Naruseb, Jackson HoÎb, Frederika Fleermuys, Izak van der Merwe, Quinton Steele-Botes, G Uirab and Adree Mudge completes the line-up of candidates vying for seats on the Windhoek City Council.Wrapping up its local authority election campaign in Windhoek on Wednesday night, RP President Henk Mudge said he was not overly optimistic about the party’s performance in the Local Authority elections because of a lack of resources.He viewed them rather as a stepping stone to better results when the regional and national elections roll around in November.Mudge said it was time for Namibians to vote for change.He said other opposition parties had failed to take up the issues of minority groups to Central Government, while thousands of people lived in shameful conditions.”I refuse to believe that with the available resources a government can’t see to it that 1,8 million people have food and a roof over their heads.It’s just not possible,” Mudge said.The DTA, Mudge said, only “moaned and complained and did nothing about it”.”If we were concerned about positions and money, if we cared about anything but the people, we could even have joined Swapo,” he told RP supporters.He charged that joining forces with the Congress of Democrats (CoD) “was not an option” as it had only managed to muster the votes of “unhappy” former DTA supporters since its establishment.On the other hand, he claimed, Swapo was only interested in serving Oshiwambo-speaking Namibians and its leaders were absorbed in self-enrichment rather than the plight of the majority.”Is the so-called father of the nation just the father of some? It is inexcusable that he makes such comments about white people.I am firstly a Namibian and then a white person,” Mudge said to resounding applause.”Swapo received a country where things worked.One would have expected that things would have worked even better by now,” he said.Mudge also bemoaned the apathy among white Namibians who, he said, appeared unwilling to plough their knowledge into the betterment of the country.Mudge pleaded with them not to be “intimidated” and “shouted down” by Swapo in their efforts to improve the well-being of the country.He further claimed that it was unacceptable that Government allowed the influx of Chinese to build the country’s infrastructure and to run small businesses, while side-lining the so-called “Basters” and “Coloureds” whom he said built the country prior to Independence.”I don’t mind us doing business with them [the Chinese].But when they take the food out of our mouths, then it is a problem.”Former DTA Administrative Secretary Nico Smit tops the party’s list for the Windhoek local election, followed by Klara Gowases.In an election plea, Gowases said she would fight against daily water cuts, evictions and the abject living conditions especially of Katutura residents and those living in the informal areas.Marianne Petherbridge, Petrus Soroseb, Jakes Jacobs, Ignatius Semba, Eckhard Vorster, Carola Engelbrecht, Frederick Naruseb, Jackson HoÎb, Frederika Fleermuys, Izak van der Merwe, Quinton Steele-Botes, G Uirab and Adree Mudge completes the line-up of candidates vying for seats on the Windhoek City Council.