Toivo has no plans to form new party

VETERAN Swapo politician Andimba Toivo ya Toivo says he has no ambitions to launch a new political party or to be part of such a group.

Toivo’s name had recently been linked to others said to be planning to launch a new political party. Recently there had been reports, mainly in the Oshikoto, Oshana and Ohangwena regions, that Toivo was part of a group of Swapo members planning to launch a new party to counter the ruling party.Toivo said it was the democratic right of any person to launch a party.”But they should not use other people’s names falsely for their own benefit.””They must cease using my name forthwith,” he said in a statement yesterday.Toivo launched the Owamboland People’s Congress, which was later renamed the Owamboland People’s Organisation (OPO) and eventually the South West Africa People’s Organisation (Swapo).”The aim and objective of this organisation was the freedom and independence of the Namibian people, which we achieved on March 21 1990.I am happy that Independence was achieved in my lifetime,” Toivo said.Recently Prime Minister Nahas Angula reportedly confirmed that speculations about the formation of a new party were rife during the past months.He expected them to intensify ahead of the Swapo Congress next month.However, he regarded the rumours as a campaign strategy by some party members to create confusion within Swapo and “set up long-time comrades against one another and for some individuals to advance their personal interest.”Angula confirmed that Toivo’s name was among those linked to the new party, but ruled out such a possibility and said Toivo was a principled man who would not form a new party at his age.Recently there had been reports, mainly in the Oshikoto, Oshana and Ohangwena regions, that Toivo was part of a group of Swapo members planning to launch a new party to counter the ruling party.Toivo said it was the democratic right of any person to launch a party.”But they should not use other people’s names falsely for their own benefit.” “They must cease using my name forthwith,” he said in a statement yesterday.Toivo launched the Owamboland People’s Congress, which was later renamed the Owamboland People’s Organisation (OPO) and eventually the South West Africa People’s Organisation (Swapo).”The aim and objective of this organisation was the freedom and independence of the Namibian people, which we achieved on March 21 1990.I am happy that Independence was achieved in my lifetime,” Toivo said.Recently Prime Minister Nahas Angula reportedly confirmed that speculations about the formation of a new party were rife during the past months.He expected them to intensify ahead of the Swapo Congress next month.However, he regarded the rumours as a campaign strategy by some party members to create confusion within Swapo and “set up long-time comrades against one another and for some individuals to advance their personal interest.”Angula confirmed that Toivo’s name was among those linked to the new party, but ruled out such a possibility and said Toivo was a principled man who would not form a new party at his age.