Martin Endjala
The Landless People’s Movement (LPM) leader says the party is in a healthy state and is moving in the right direction in building a better society.
The party which almost made a clean sweep in the last local and regional council elections in the Hardap and Karas regions lately seems to have been rocked by what appears to be an infighting and has recalled nine of its councillors and replaced them with new ones.
But, Bernadus Swartbooi maintains that the party ‘’wants to demonstrate trust in our young people’s leadership right now. So that they grow and become greater and far more competent leaders than we found them.
For if we do not as a party start at an early age of our foundation, and focus on youth leadership development, we will have existential problems in the next forty-fifty years, just as the ANC, Swapo and others are experiencing now”, Swartbooi said this yesterday when addressing a media conference in Windhoek.
During the conference, Swartbooi announced the appointment of two newly vetted operative secretaries, Dawid Eigub and his deputy operative secretary Edwart Hiangoro.
A move that was seen as necessary to bring in additional capacity to the national office. “Our party is a party that looks at performance. If there are people that are unable for one or the other reason to do their work as it should be done, often what we have done is to ask them to retreat and be subjected to education and training empowerment,” Swartbooi argued.
Referring to people who have left the party, he said, despite the departure of some of its members, the party continues to grow, hinting that ‘’even former ambassadors have been showing interest in the LPM,” he said.
The ever energized Swartbooi further pointed out that anyone trying to make LPM look bad, are wasting their time, for LPM has the vote of trust of many Namibians across all regions – “for LPM is the new home and the new direction”.
The party will also not allow itself to be divided by factionalism and unnecessary misconducts, and that it will deal with it in a swift decisive fashion manner. “How can we be divided by little people who started their political careers yesterday”?
‘’Hence from time to time, we use a whip, for it is biblical, historic and cultural to use and when alcohol is out of the system, they will reflect that the home is a sweet home and that the home is theirs”. “Never have I ever seen a party grow so fast, to everyone who has shown loyalty and faith in LPM, it is not in vain, the party remains strong, and will continue to advocate the voice of the people and issues in the communities and if necessary, the code of conduct can be amended,’’ he sounded confident in the face of a rebellion in the party.
Last week the mayor of Mariental resigned out of frustration with the national leadership, two Mariental councillors who were removed are in the High Court disputing the grounds of their dismissal and there is another Labour Court case set for this week in Keetmanshoop, all involving LPM and their councillors. Swartbooi stated categorically that LPM is not a party for one ethnic, but should be regarded as a national party, where every Namibian is welcome.
“Whoever has this mindset, must go and jump inrong understanding to the principles of hard work, honesty, dignity, skills gained in a short period of time and delivery of service,” he stated. The LPM leader encouraged young people not to be distracted but continue to speak their minds for their own benefit and that of the Nation at large.
He said the party is inspired by its growth and that they are a party of all seasons and is not constrained or confined to a few or group of people, “this must be clear to all”. Swartbooi pointed.
