Vice-President Lucia Witbooi has urged the Sesfontein inhabitants to correct what she called the mistake of the past by voting for the Swapo Party in the upcoming by-election.
Witbooi says the upcoming by-election, slated for the 17th of June, is a must-win for the Swapo Party, as it will lay the foundation for the party to do better in November during the regional and local authority elections.
She made the remarks during a Swapo campaign rally at Otjokavare for the Sesfontein Constituency by-election in the Kunene Region over the weekend.
Witbooi reminded the crowd to see the bigger picture in terms of a clear vision that her party has demonstrated for the Namibian people over the years: to deliver quality essential services.
She believes that the by-election presents the people of Sesfontein with an opportunity to ensure tangible changes to bring development to their constituency without delay.
"Our Swapo Party manifesto is clear about our vision in this country. We are not running around like headless chickens; we are sure, and we know what we want for our people. It is also clear about our intention to tackle unemployment, especially among our youth. It is clear, and it is also clear about education and training, and we are clear about the value addition of natural resources – some resources can benefit our people through employment creation."
The Vice-President expressed total confidence in the Swapo Party candidate, Titus Uaundjua Rungondo, who she says passed the credibility test through internal party primaries by getting overwhelming support as the candidate for the party.
Witbooi further called on Swapo Party supporters to approach the polling booths on election day with sober minds to vote correctly.
"On the day of elections let us reduce the use of alcohol; try to be as early as possible before you go to any shebeen. The shebeen will not run away; you will still find it there because you might make a mistake. Immediately when you wake up, make sure that you go to the polling station and make a cross in the right block, the last block where you see the face of Comrade Rungondo."
Since the country's independence, the constituency has mainly been under UDF, with the Swapo Party only having managed to beat UDF once in 2015, leading the constituency for a term after which the UDF returned it to its fold in the 2019 regional elections.