Windhoek – Sophia Shaningwa, the Secretary General of the Swapo Party, has called on the party’s leadership in the Khomas Region to focus on regaining control of the Windhoek municipality, which was lost to opposition parties in the last local elections. This appeal was made during a well-attended Swapo rally in Windhoek on Saturday.
According to Namibia Press Agency (NAMPA), the revival of Swapo’s fortunes in the Khomas Region is crucial. “We have to revive the Khomas Region to its original state. We have to make sure as the regional leadership of Khomas that the municipality of Windhoek is returned into the hands of the Swapo Party to enable us to do our job. You’re challenged to do that,” she emphasized.
In the 2020 local authority elections, the opposition secured a significant victory by taking 10 out of 15 seats, thereby ending the ruling party’s long-standing dominance in the Windhoek City Council since independence. This shift marked a notable change in the political landscape of the region.
With the 2024 Presidential and National Assembly elections on the horizon, followed by the regional council and local authority elections in 2025, Swapo is gearing up for a critical electoral period. Shaningwa highlighted the importance of party members and sympathizers having national identification documents to register as voters. “Our people must go to home affairs to get their identification documents because we can be in our millions under the tent, but if we do not have identification documents to enable us to register with the Electoral Commission of Namibia, our candidate and our party will hardly make it,” she stated.
Elliot Mbako, the Swapo regional coordinator in Khomas, expressed readiness to win back the region. He committed to utilizing all necessary logistical, financial, and operational resources to avoid electoral setbacks. Mbako also addressed the issue of infighting within the party, acknowledging that factionalism could hinder progress. He assured unity and preparation for the 2024 national elections in the Khomas Region.
This call to action and strategic planning indicate Swapo’s determination to regain its influence in Windhoek and the broader Khomas Region in the upcoming elections.