Martin Endjala
The United Democratic Front (UDF) clarified that the endorsement of Swapo party presidential candidate, Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah by Gaob Justus ||Garoëb of the ǂNūkhoe ||Aes Damara should not be linked to the party.
The party’s president, Hendrik Gaobaeb, said this over the weekend during the party’s campaign rally in the Okombahe settlement in the Erongo region.
Gaob ||Garoëb announced his support for NNN in the upcoming elections during the 47th annual Damara Festival in Okombahe recently.
Gaob ||Garoëb is the founder of the UDF.
“I was here last weekend in Okombahe. I attended the Damara Goab festival, and I analysed what ||Garoëb said. I don’t know why the media of Namibia have connected it with the UDF party,” he questioned.
Gaobaeb said the endorsement was not referring to the party as it is being purported.
He clarified that UDF is a national party and the Gaob’s endorsement was simply announced to the public, specifically to the Damara community.
He further explained that the Gaob’s endorsement of NNN appears to indicate his opposition to the current UDF president.
“Let me tell you. If it was not for Gaob ||Garoëb, anyone originating from Sesfontein, they wouldn’t have had secondary education nor tertiary and that is what he did for us,” he revealed.
He explained that there is no bad blood between UDF and the Gaob.
He stressed it has nothing to do with UDF and nor did the chief single it out to tell people not to go vote for the UDF presidential candidate.
This was not the first time that Gaob ||Garoëb has endorsed a Swapo candidate.
In 2014, he mobilised his subjects and political followers to rally behind the late President Hage Geingob during the 2014 presidential elections.
At the time, Apius Auchab was in the race as the UDF presidential candidate.
The party UDF leadership also distanced itself from the Gaob’s decision.
Last week, UDF spokesperson Mabasen Narib echoed the same words.
