The Secretary General of the Popular Democratic Movement (PDM), Manuel Ngaringombe, has called on party members to work diligently and strategically to increase their vote share and become a significant force on Namibia's political landscape.

Ngaringombe made these remarks at the official opening of the PDM Regional Coordinators, Regional, and Local Authorities Leadership Training held in Swakopmund. 

The training workshop focused on leadership skills, offering both theoretical insights and practical strategies to enhance organizational management, foster experience exchange, and develop innovative approaches within the party.

Ngaringombe expressed concern over the PDM's performance in the last election, where the party lost its position as the second-largest party in Namibia and official opposition status, seeing its National Assembly representation drop from 16 to just 5 seats. 

He called on the party's leadership to take a hard, honest look at the results and evaluate their performance. 

Ngaringombe emphasised the need for corrective action to strengthen the movement and safeguard the nation's democracy.

He stated that the democratic governance is determined by the majority vote, and as the PDM, they must work hard and smart to increase their votes if they want to become a formidable force in the Namibian political space.

Ngaringombe also encouraged participants to view the workshop as a critical tool to improve their leadership capacities, ensuring better coordination and management of the party, as it seeks to advance its political objectives.

"Albert Einstein once said, 'The definition of insanity is to do one thing over and over again and expect a different result.' Dear participants, if we believe in the PDM as an alternative government in our country, then we need to evaluate the way we have run the affairs of our movement over the years. Identify our weaknesses and strengths and introduce new and dynamic ways of managing the systems and processes of our movement towards the upcoming regional and local authorities elections and paving the road to 2029."

In a bold statement, Ngaringombe warned political competitors and critics, whom he referred to as prophets of doom, not to underestimate PDM. 

He assured them that the party would rise like a phoenix from the ashes, reasserting itself as a key player in the political arena.

He urged party members to take full advantage of the training to refresh their leadership knowledge, share experiences, and renew their commitment to serving the movement with passion and dedication.