Gibeon offers a foretaste of campaigning 2004

GIBEON this weekend appeared to give a taste of things to come in the final month before the elections as political parties compete, all out, for voter support.

In terms of population, Gibeon, which is 330 km south of Windhoek, is insignificant, but Swapo and the Congress of Democrats (CoD) rate it important on their election agendas. In this village, the titan of Namibian politics, Swapo, arrived determined to repair its dented pride.The ruling party’s presidential candidate, Hifikepunye Pohamba, decided that the Saturday rally be moved from Mariental to Gibeon in an attempt to reclaim victory from the opposition parties.”Swapo is not worthy of a defeat” at Gibeon, said Lucia Basson, the party’s regional co-ordinator in the Hardap Region, whom her comrades also refer to as the ‘Iron Lady of Hardap’.”The issue about Gibeon is Swapo pride and history,” said Basson, referring to the ruling party’s establishing itself there in the 1970s when it was virtually illegal to advance liberation politics.Further up, on the northeastern side of the village, the CoD was holding a rally at the same time.CoD spokesperson, Ignatius Shixwameni, said they chose Gibeon to launch the party’s manifesto to say “a big thank you” for the votes that helped the party win the village council in May’s local authorities election.The contrast between the two parties was unmistakable.It seemed like a battle between the asset-rich Catholics and breakaway evangelists working on a shoestring budget.Though both transported people to the village, Swapo swamped the place.To start with, the ruling party picked the best spot, hogging several trees to the CoD’s none.The CoD met at the dilapidated soccer field with a pavilion that has no roof.Swapo had three tents that were in good condition, while the CoD struggled to create shade for its leadership.In the end it did not matter because clouds gathered to provide shade that lasted only for the duration of the rallies.Buses, Government cars, the latest model private cars, including ones Kalahari Holdings, Swapo’s business empire, donated to the ruling party, were prominent at the public meeting.CoD supporters were transported in vehicles that seemed as if they would disintegrate at any moment.Government officials came from near and far to swell the ranks of Swapo.By the scheduled starting time, about 300 people had gathered to hear their leaders speak, outnumbering the CoD by about three to one.Where CoD had only a cassette player to entertain its followers, Swapo had its music group Ndilimani, struggle musician Jackson Kaujeua, children in school uniforms, a well-drilled Tswana group from Aranos and Nama-stap dancers.The Swapo noise seemed to spread across the village.Then 20 minutes into the time when both rallies were scheduled to have started, CoD marched past the Swapo meeting, in a move that some saw as violating election campaign laws.Police officers, who all seemed to have gone to the Swapo meeting, watched as the small procession of cars rumbled past.But both parties’ meetings ended without incident, the CoD finishing what some described as a spirited rally much earlier, and Swapo promising to win back the voters at Gibeon, a village whose support it believe is its by birthright.It would be an important morale booster for the country’s ruling party if it regained pride in the home of the Deputy Prime Minister, Hendrik Witbooi, who was for long the Vice President of Swapo.”We have the responsibility to correct this unfortunate situation by putting Swapo into the driver’s seat,” declared Basson, the ‘Iron Lady’.The CoD sent out an opposing message:that the people of Gibeon should ensure that there was no opening for the ruling party.In this village, the titan of Namibian politics, Swapo, arrived determined to repair its dented pride.The ruling party’s presidential candidate, Hifikepunye Pohamba, decided that the Saturday rally be moved from Mariental to Gibeon in an attempt to reclaim victory from the opposition parties.”Swapo is not worthy of a defeat” at Gibeon, said Lucia Basson, the party’s regional co-ordinator in the Hardap Region, whom her comrades also refer to as the ‘Iron Lady of Hardap’.”The issue about Gibeon is Swapo pride and history,” said Basson, referring to the ruling party’s establishing itself there in the 1970s when it was virtually illegal to advance liberation politics.Further up, on the northeastern side of the village, the CoD was holding a rally at the same time.CoD spokesperson, Ignatius Shixwameni, said they chose Gibeon to launch the party’s manifesto to say “a big thank you” for the votes that helped the party win the village council in May’s local authorities election.The contrast between the two parties was unmistakable.It seemed like a battle between the asset-rich Catholics and breakaway evangelists working on a shoestring budget.Though both transported people to the village, Swapo swamped the place.To start with, the ruling party picked the best spot, hogging several trees to the CoD’s none.The CoD met at the dilapidated soccer field with a pavilion that has no roof.Swapo had three tents that were in good condition, while the CoD struggled to create shade for its leadership.In the end it did not matter because clouds gathered to provide shade that lasted only for the duration of the rallies.Buses, Government cars, the latest model private cars, including ones Kalahari Holdings, Swapo’s business empire, donated to the ruling party, were prominent at the public meeting.CoD supporters were transported in vehicles that seemed as if they would disintegrate at any moment.Government officials came from near and far to swell the ranks of Swapo.By the scheduled starting time, about 300 people had gathered to hear their leaders speak, outnumbering the CoD by about three to one.Where CoD had only a cassette player to entertain its followers, Swapo had its music group Ndilimani, struggle musician Jackson Kaujeua, children in school uniforms, a well-drilled Tswana group from Aranos and Nama-stap dancers.The Swapo noise seemed to spread across the village.Then 20 minutes into the time when both rallies were scheduled to have started, CoD marched past the Swapo meeting, in a move that some saw as violating election campaign laws.Police officers, who all seemed to have gone to the Swapo meeting, watched as the small procession of cars rumbled past.But both parties’ meetings ended without incident, the CoD finishing what some described as a spirited rally much earlier, and Swapo promising to win back the voters at Gibeon, a village whose support it believe is its by birthright.It would be an important morale booster for the country’s ruling party if it regained pride in the home of the Deputy Prime Minister, Hendrik Witbooi, who was for long the Vice President of Swapo.”We have the responsibility to correct this unfortunate situation by putting Swapo into the driver’s seat,” declared Basson, the ‘Iron Lady’.The CoD sent out an opposing message:that the people of Gibeon should ensure that there was no opening for the ruling party.