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. 

The Swapo Party in the ||Kharas Region has rubbished speculations that some of its leadership backs independent candidate Gerrit Witbooi rather than the party's candidate Elias !Kharuxab in the upcoming by-election.

The by-election in the Keetmanshoop Rural Constituency, which is necessitated by the recent withdrawal of Witbooi by the Landless People's Movement (LPM) as Regional Councillor, is slated for May 15.