SECRETARY general of the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) Manuel Ngaringombe has called for deep introspection and strategic renewal among party members following the party’s performance in the 2024 national elections.
Ngaringombe made the remarks at the opening of the party’s week-long capacity-building workshop for regional coordinators and local authority leaders, which started at Swakopmund on Monday.
He stressed the importance of learning from past mistakes and adapting to changing political dynamics.
“Our party lost its position as the second-largest political force in the country, and our representation in the National Assembly was reduced from 16 to five seats.
This should be a wake-up call, and as leaders we must assess our performance with honesty and identify ways to improve if we are to safeguard democracy and provide an alternative to the deteriorating governance under Swapo,” he stressed.
The training, funded by the Konrad Adenauer Stiftung, aims to strengthen leadership skills, enhance organisational management and refine campaign strategies ahead of the 2025 regional and local authority elections.
The workshop also serves as a platform for the party to reflect on its setbacks and chart a new path forward.
Ngaringombe also addressed the outcome of the 2024 elections, which saw Swapo and its presidential candidate retain power “despite opposition concerns over electoral irregularities.”
While the Supreme Court ruled in favour of the electoral process, Ngaringombe urged the Electoral Commission of Namibia (ECN) to improve its management and avoid political bias.
“The ECN must not take the Supreme Court ruling as a victory and become complacent. The integrity of Namibia’s democracy depends on free, fair and transparent elections, and any manipulation of the process could destabilise the country,” the secretary general warned.
He emphasised that winning elections requires both hard work and smart strategies, calling on participants to use the workshop as an opportunity to rethink PDM’s approach.
“If we believe in PDM as an alternative government, we must be willing to change, adapt and strengthen our movement through fresh strategies and dynamic leadership,” he stated.
Ngaringombe added that the party members representing PDM in the National Assembly are ready to serve to the best of their abilities.
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