‘We Must Claim Erongo Back’ – Swapo

Strong emphasis was placed by the Swapo Party leadership on ‘getting Erongo back’ during the first Star Rally held by the ruling party on Saturday in Walvis Bay. Thousands gathered at Kuisebmond Stadium for the rally that marked the start of Swapo\'s election campaign.

The secretary-general of the party, Sophia Shaningwa, expressed her desire to see the party reclaim its two-thirds majority.

“Erongo should be reclaimed in the regional and local authority councils. It has been reported to me that we have been chased left, right, and center since Thursday, when we wanted to erect our tent, because we do not have representatives in the council. It is high time that the residents of the Erongo region are mobilized, moving forward in the spirit of our late veteran Nathanial Maxuilili, to bring Walvis Bay back to the Swapo Party.”

RETURN

At the rally, Erongo governor Neville Andre announced the return of former urban constituency councillor of Walvis Bay, Knowledge Ipinge, to the party.

“I just want to say that I am back home, and my job is to campaign. Let’s campaign for Swapo, let’s campaign for our candidates, and ensure that we win back Walvis Bay, win back Erongo, and take this country forward,” Ipinge said.

‘COME HOME’

Swapo vice-president and presidential candidate Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah urged, “Those who left the party, just come back home.”

“We can all fit into this Swapo Party family; all of you are invited to come back. And those who are not yet part of Swapo, please join. It is a family you will remain a part of for the rest of your life.”

During her address, Nandi-Ndaitwah emphasized the importance of managing the Erongo Region in a way that would bring prosperity to the whole nation, given its status as a key trading gateway to the world.

“We should therefore make sure that, come November 27, the SWAPO Party has won overwhelmingly in the Erongo Region. We must claim back Erongo. You must do better, Erongo. Seeing you come out in numbers like this makes me more confident, more committed, and convinced that together I will be able to lead this country to prosperity.”

She added that, during the struggle, the common goal was to liberate the country.

“Today, our common goal is to liberate our country economically. We are too few to be poor, we are too few to be hungry. I am not making promises, but I am saying I am committed, and I want everyone to be committed so that Namibia can occupy her rightful position internationally and become a country that can rely on its own resources and feed its own people. The foundation built is strong enough.”

PROJECTS

Nandi-Ndaitwah highlighted projects in the Erongo Region that have been completed or are still in progress.

“Who says we are not delivering? In terms of road networks, the road behind Dune 7, the Hifikepunye Pohamba Highway, was commissioned in 2022. The construction of low-volume bitumen roads in the Okombahe settlement is ready for commissioning. The maintenance of the Arandis bitumen roads and the Henties Bay-Uis-Kamanjab road, once completed, will connect Erongo to the rest of northern Namibia.”

“The health and social welfare of our people are top priorities on the Swapo agenda. In Erongo, a grant amount of N$4,296,950 is given to 12,277 beneficiaries every month. Additionally, N$21,638,400 goes to 15,456 pensioners, and another N$5,233,200 is paid to 3,738 people with disabilities. Who says we don’t care about our people? This is just Erongo—one of 14 regions.”

Regarding education, Nandi-Ndaitwah emphasized that she does not want to lead an illiterate society.

“In Namibia, we still talk about skilled, unskilled, and semi-skilled workers—that is underdevelopment. We really need to take education seriously. We are happy that at least 98% of Namibian children have access to education, and we are working on the quality of our education. To address the rise in student numbers from 2023 to 2024, more teachers were hired, and additional classrooms and ablution blocks were built in the region\'s schools.\"



Nandi-Ndaitwah also emphasized that she is an implementer. “Go check my track record. I don’t just like to talk—I like to do. I am not afraid to take calculated risks. Let us go out to defend our democracy and independence and protect our people from possible exploitation. Let them know their better future is in the hands of the Swapo Party.”