PDM manifesto promises manufacturing factories, green schemes

Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) president McHenry Venaani says they will tackle the high unemployment rate in the country.

The party will do this by creating manufacturing factories in each constituency as well as setting up green schemes in regions like the Zambezi region.

He made these remarks during the launch of PDM’s election manifesto at the Katima Mulilo Sports Complex on Sunday.

The election manifesto is themed ‘Create Jobs, Build Homes, Expand Agriculture and Secure a Better Future’.

According to Venaani, the creation of manufacturing and processing industries in the 121 constituencies under their governance will be private initiative-driven and supported by government facilitation through friendly legislation, tax incentives and robust legal frameworks.

He added that by 2029, they will decrease the unemployment rate by 11%, as well as increase the budget allocation for agriculture to 10%.

“We envision an economy that transitions from raw material dependence to value-added industrialisation.

This will ensure that young Namibians have meaningful job opportunities right where they live, kick-starting the rural economies. We will also mandate that at least 80% of all state procurements come from local manufacturers,” he said.

Venaani said the days of Namibia relying on importing water and vegetables from South Africa will be over because they will ensure regions with abundant resources will be able to produce food for the nation.

“I will turn Zambezi into an agricultural zone so that more Namibians can get jobs while producing good for the nation. The Zambezi region, under the current government, does not have any functional green schemes despite having fertile land and water, “he said.

Venaani alluded that they will renegotiate oil deals as Namibia has gotten a raw deal on these oil discoveries.

“With that money, our people can have better schools, clinics and other infrastructure,” he said.

Venaani said they will cut the urban housing backlog by 30% by 2029 with their ‘one Namibian, one plot’ policy intervention, as well as cut the government debt to at least 50% of the gross domestic product to secure fiscal sustainability.

He said they will introduce universal healthcare coverage for all Namibians through the imposition of taxes calculated by tax brackets and by employing a primary healthcare approach.

“We are offering you an idea that is going to change your life.

The government in Namibia is only taking care of the ministers and not the people,” he said.

The three-day PDM national elective congress held at Katima Mulilo over the weekend ended up with the top six leaders retaining their positions for the next five years.

The top six leaders are party leader McHenry Venaani, his deputy Jennifer van den Heever, secretary general Manuel Ngaringombe, his deputy Linus Thobias, national chairperson Diederick Vries and treasurer Nico Smit.

They also added two more positions to the top management positions: deputy treasurer Sydney Ndumbah and vice national chairperson Rosa Mbinge-Tjuende, as well as the management spokesperson that will still be appointed.

Venaani called on the elected leadership not to victimise those who challenged them in the elective congress but instead, to work together with them for the good of the party.

“Challenging each other is the democracy that we need to respect. However, as elected leaders, we shall perish as fools if we start to victimise those who have challenged us.”