Swapo manifesto is a guide to running sport better – Balotti

Education, innovation, youth, sport, arts and culture deputy minister Dino Ballotti says the Swapo manifesto is a guiding document.

In a Desert FM interview, Balotti said the Swapo manifesto, shared with the public, formed the basis for their electoral victory last November.

“I was asked to look at the National Development Plan, and with the Swapo manifesto, my real simple answer is, that is what Namibia has chosen. Namibia chose Swapo to govern our country as a collective.”

“We shall be implementing the promises we made to the Namibian people. The second priority area of the manifesto is sport. We do believe it is a catalyst for social transformation, economic growth and national cohesion,” he stressed.

Balotti said over the next five-years, the government will look at professionalising sport.

“We shall be enhancing infrastructure development and also establishing financial sport structures for the long term view.”

“We made a commitment and a promise to the people that there will be infrastructure in all 126 constituencies as well as a Confederation of African Football-rated stadium in some of the regions,” he said.

“Some of the current sport complexes are currently under construction: the Nkurenkuru sport complex, Otjiwarongo sport complex, Outapi sport complex, Opuuo sport complex, Katima sport complex and Enhana sport complex.”

He added: “ Everyone is aware of the endeavours of the Independence Stadium.”

The retired youth, as he referred to himself, revealed that they have submitted a substantive budget proposal for the 2025/26 financial year to the treasury this week.

He said the proposed budget will support the implementation of youth and sport development programmes, and that it also includes the construction of some of the stadiums that have been mentioned.

“We trust that parliament will approve the proposed budget and this will enable us as a ministry to focus on the sport mandate and to effectively execute the initiatives we have committed to,” said the deputy.

“If we think of a ‘sport levi’ and we take a percentage of the gambling revenues, we believe this can and must be used towards sport development,” he said.

Balotti is of the opinion that by doing so, there will be a sustainable financial formula, and that he wants to see the private sector, now more than ever, getting involved.

“We are all now familiar with the triple public-private partnership but we need them to work. We need the smart partnership that we speak off, I want to use the word ‘patient smart partnership’.”

This week, the deputy minister met with the executive team of the three former ministries.

“This is a very knowledgeable as well as very experienced executive team.”

“I am really looking forward to working with all of my colleagues. It’s a large mandate and we take the wisdom and the foresight of the president in merging these three former ministries together.”

“The sport mandate, if I can just share it, is a large mandate and, it is not only my belief, but we do understand it to develop and promote sport at all levels,” he said.

Balloti said: “I may have a small bias towards football, which I probably will struggle to defend, but I can assure that we are trying to be inclusive and ensure that all sport codes receive the same necessary support and engagement.”

The deputy minister said they will foster school sport participation.

“I think this is the synergy of president Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, to ensure that there is alignment from basic education to higher education to sports.

“We believe that the ministry will be driving community initiatives and overseeing the development of the sport infrastructure,” he noted.