Former Landless People’s Movement regional councillor Gerrit Witbooi joins Swapo

Former Landless People’s Movement (LPM) regional councillor Gerrit Witbooi has joined Swapo.

Witbooi, who was elected as the regional councillor for the Keetmanshoop Rural constituency in the //Kharas region in November 2020, was one of more than 20 new and old Swapo members welcomed by the party’s vice president, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, during an election campaign meeting at Keetmanshoop on Saturday.

Witbooi was expelled from the LPM and recalled as a member of the //Kharas Regional Council in February 2023, after a fallout with the party’s leadership.

He was expelled after he had been filmed burning an LPM flag and photos of the party’s leader, Bernadus Swartbooi, at Aroab, following a spat between him and Swartbooi.

In 2022, Witbooi was arrested on a charge of assault with intent to cause grievous bodily harm at Aroab, for allegedly assaulting Swapo branch administrator Johannes Vilander.

Witbooi had allegedly thrown a chair at Vilander, breaking his arm.

During the meeting on Saturday, Swapo’s coordinator in //Kharas, Matthew Mumbala, urged party members and supporters at Keetmanshoop to renew the party’s mandate to govern.

Mumbala said Swapo is a tried and tested party that has delivered on its promises about infrastructure development, housing, education, health and social grants to support the elderly, people living with disabilities, orphans and vulnerable children.

“It is unfair when we hear from other political parties that for the past 34 years the Swapo-led government has done nothing,” Mumbala said.

“No, let us be realistic and open our eyes to see for ourselves. Just in the past five years when the region is in different hands we can see the squabbles and how it has hampered service delivery to the people. Therefore give us back the mandate so we can implement,” said Mumbala.