The Landless People's Movement's (LPM) Chief Change Campaigner and presidential candidate Bernardus Swartbooi promised to eradicate poverty.

Swartbooi said this during the official launch of the party's 2024 manifesto in Rundu, Kavango East Region.

Addressing LPM members and supporters, Swartbooi raised concern about the level of poverty in the country.

Bernardus Swartbooi raised concern that 1.4 million Namibians cannot feed themselves. 

Swartbooi said poverty and hunger were supposed to be addressed a long time ago.

Once voted into power, the LPM leader said the party will address this state of affairs by, among others, increasing old age grants to N$3,000, while that of orphans and vulnerable children will increase to N$2,000. 

Swartbooi said by increasing the old age funds, many households will be sustained, and if children receive N$2,000 per month, they will stay in school, reducing school dropouts.

The party presidential candidate also shared that once voted into power, LPM will invest N$500 million into sports to have young sports lovers become professionals.

N$200 million will be spent annually on music and art to help those with the talent earn a decent living. 

The party will also invest N$8,9 billion annually in agriculture.

"We want to bring in a basic income grant of N$1500 for three years for at least 500,000 Namibians who are under stress from hunger and malnutrition. If we grant the elders the N$3,000, we know that society will have children and grandchildren better taken care of. If we give orphans and vulnerable children N$2000, we know those children will not quit going to school; they will stay in school because they will be well fed. If we give N$1500 to our people who are starving in a very rich country, we know that malnutrition and hunger will become less and less in Namibia, including Kavango regions."

If elected to govern, LPM will give free land to people in urban areas and also stop illegal fencing off of communal land.

Swartbooi added that the party will setup a citizen's national council on natural resources, which will protect the natural resources of Namibia.

Another is the setting up of an oil revenue fund, in which part of the funds will be shared amongst Namibians to help eradicate poverty.

The party also intends to set up a First Nations fund for economic and social development for the San community.

Swartbooi therefore encourages Namibians to go out in numbers and vote for LPM.

The party, at the same time, launches its youth manifesto. 

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nbc Digital News

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Elizabeth Mwengo