The Swapo Party Secretary General, Sophia Shaningwa, has urged voters to rally behind the party's candidate, Elias !Kharuxab, in next week's by-election to reclaim the Keetmanshoop Rural Constituency.

The seat became vacant following the withdrawal of former Keetmanshoop Rural Constituency Councillor Gertjie Witbooi by his former party, Landless Peoples' Movement, earlier this year.

Addressing party supporters at the mini-campaign rally at Koës, Shaningwa urged them to come out in numbers and vote for the party's candidate for the Keetmanshoop Rural Constituency. 

"You must make sure that already on Sunday; you have to make sure you see your voter's card. Everybody, when you sleep, the voter's card must be by you; it must be closer to your chest that night because if you lose it, there will be no vote for comrade !Kharuxab. Your voter's card at this time is the only weapon you have to make our candidate, comrade !Kharuxab, the councillor for Keetmanshoop Rural constituency. We are not going to fight with guns, but we are going to fight politically and democratically through the ballot, and it is only when we have our voter's cards."