Mbumba says voters should not humiliate ‘themselves by voting for untested and untried’ candidates

President Nangolo Mbumba has told Swapo supporters to avoid “humiliating themselves by voting for untested and untried” candidates.

He was speaking at a ruling party rally at Endola on Saturday. Mbumba warned that if voters reject Swapo in favour of opposition parties, the African Union (AU) and Southern African Development Community (Sadc) will “cry.”

“Don’t embarrass yourself by not voting for Swapo and don’t humiliate your country by handing over the reins of power to untested and untried individuals. Don’t do that. Sadc and the AU will be crying,” Mbumba said.

Mbumba’s comment comes at a time when former liberation movements are losing support in the Sadc region, which includes Swapo.

The president urged voters to vote for Swapo in the 27 November elections.

“As I said, we have a track record and we have delivered! So give us the mandate; buy into this manifesto and we shall continue delivering. We do not make empty promises like the many political groupings,” he said.

He added: “Talking is easy and cheap, but doing is another thing all together. While others can promise you heaven on earth, only Swapo can guarantee the reality of economic development and shared prosperity.”

The president said some people in Namibia believe they are important and, therefore, think they are being followed around.

“Followed by who? What have you done, and what are you planning to do?” he asked.

Swapo has registered Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah as its presidential candidate with the Electoral Commission of Namibia.

Political analyst Henning Melber says Swapo has a miserable track record as it has not met the expectations people had at independence.

“Like other former liberation movements, Swapo in government equated the party with the state and abused its control for state capture to benefit the comrades and their cohorts,” Melber says.

He says Fishrot is the most obvious example.

Melber says Mbumba’s statement is a betrayal of democracy Swapo pays lip service to.

“The voters have the right and are entitled to change their political preferences based on the assessment of delivery by the party in political power and governing responsibility,” he says.

Melber adds that if Swapo is punished to a similar extent as the African National Congress was for the lack of delivery, then the lesson might be the same.

Political commentator Ndumba Kamwanyah says Mbumba’s warnings about the risks of voting for “untested and untried” candidates may not be as effective as intended.

“While fear tactics like these have historically worked to consolidate Swapo’s base, they are increasingly falling on deaf ears, especially with younger voters who are more focused on tangible issues such as job creation, social services and fighting corruption,” Kamwanyah says.