Stefanus Nashama
Dr. Panduleni Itula, the leader of the Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), has stated that he does not consider himself a politician but rather a leader of a political party.
According to Itula, there is a clear distinction between politicians and leaders, particularly in terms of policy formulation.
He explained that leaders formulate policies based on the needs of the people, whereas politicians have their own way of doing things.
Itula made these remarks during an interview on the MAD Podcast this week, where he discussed how IPC came into existence.
Itula emphasized that his direct visits and access to the people in the country set him apart from being a politician.
He mentioned that he recently completed a journey during which he directly visited over 300 villages across the country to listen to the needs and concerns of the masses.
“Leaders have the interests of the people at heart, and the only way to understand the people’s interests is to go to them directly,” he stated.
Itula revealed that, based on his observations, many people in most parts of the country still live in difficult conditions.
He expressed his pain at witnessing the struggles of the people after 33 years of freedom.
Poverty, unemployment, lack of water, and poor healthcare service delivery were identified as the most significant challenges people face in their daily lives.
“The reason I went directly to the people is to find out what they need before formulating policies that respond to their needs,” he explained.
However, Itula admitted that addressing the people’s pain is a collective effort, and he stressed the importance of assembling a collective leadership, which he described as the backbone of IPC since its formation.
“The decisions of the party are not my decisions,” he emphasized.
As the leader of IPC, he stated that policies would be developed based on input from the villages rather than solely by the party.
Itula noted that his travels across the country were aimed at finding the Namibia he had fought for, but what he discovered was a nation struggling with issues like thirst, unemployment, inadequate healthcare and economic infrastructure, and poor communication.
According to Itula, the challenges facing the nation can only be addressed through policy formulation that reflects the interests of the people and through collective leadership.
