CoD on fundraising trail

THE Congress of Democrats says it will need at least N$2 million to wage “an effective” campaign in national and regional elections since it is aiming for 35 per cent of the seats in the National Assembly.

Ignatius Shixwameni, CoD Secretary General, said at a press conference on Tuesday that his party intended to “pull out all the stops” to increase their tally in the main House of Parliament this year, but that a lack of funds could scupper their plans. “Without money we cannot fight an election that is effective”, he said while appealing to businesses and individuals to contribute to the party’s fundraising programme.He said the CoD could not rely on State funding alone, especially after Cabinet at the end of last year stopped payment to the political parties.”The bulk of the money is to come from our members.It is corporate citizens’ social responsibility to make sure that there is democracy …” peace and development in the country by helping to fund parties.The CoD announced that it would have its second congress from July 30 to August 1 in Windhoek.The congress will be attended by 405 delegates who will thrash out the organisation’s election manifesto and draw up the list of 72 members for the National Assembly.Shixwameni said his party had decided to have three disabled people on the list, part of the CoD’s “Zebraist principle”.”Without money we cannot fight an election that is effective”, he said while appealing to businesses and individuals to contribute to the party’s fundraising programme.He said the CoD could not rely on State funding alone, especially after Cabinet at the end of last year stopped payment to the political parties.”The bulk of the money is to come from our members.It is corporate citizens’ social responsibility to make sure that there is democracy …” peace and development in the country by helping to fund parties.The CoD announced that it would have its second congress from July 30 to August 1 in Windhoek.The congress will be attended by 405 delegates who will thrash out the organisation’s election manifesto and draw up the list of 72 members for the National Assembly.Shixwameni said his party had decided to have three disabled people on the list, part of the CoD’s “Zebraist principle”.