MARIENTAL - The Congress of Democrats (CoD) on Saturday launched its 2009 Election Manifesto here, promising change for all Namibians by investing in the youth and providing jobs amongst others.
Addressing about 50 CoD members and supporters under a tent in the Empelheim residential area, CoD president Ben Ulenga emphasised the plight of the youth, noting that if elected into power his party will invest in the youth.
According to Ulenga, the Swapo Party government is sidelining the youth, and he thus called upon the electorate to vote for a CoD government that is ready to empower the youth.
Ulenga added that his party will contest the upcoming Presidential and National Assembly elections in November this year with the aim to win and govern the country, and not just to win a few seats in Parliament.
“I am ready to take over from Tatekulu (Hifikepunye) Pohamba and the whole ‘Tanganyika’ group”. We have stated publicly that these elections should be contested in an open public debate on issues of national importance, and broadcast nationwide for the benefit of the whole nation,” he said.
The Tanganyika group refers to the first group of Swapo members who went into exile during the liberation struggle.
Ulenga also urged media practitioners to participate and interact vigorously and report accurately, and not to be biased on the CoD’s perspective on governance and issues concerning the nation.
He further promised that the CoD government will diversify the country’s economy to create jobs.
“During the past 20 years under the Swapo Party leadership, it was years of pursuing self enrichment at the expense of national development. It was also 20 years of cheating and taking people for granted,” he claimed.
According to Ulenga, the most important word in the Namibian dictionary now is ‘change’. “Change government, change priorities and change direction. Return to the principles and promises of 1989. These failures of the past 20 years need to be turned around, and they will only be turned around successfully by a united and determined nation. Let us stop the political cheating perpetuated by the Swapo Party,” Ulenga charged.
The CoD's manifesto indicates that the CoD government will amongst others expand and diversify the economy to create employment; replace the “rotten” education system and build new schools and universities; change the current health care system by building new hospitals and clinics; use government money to benefit the nation; strengthen Parliament control over Cabinet; strengthening the Anti-Corruption Commission (ACC) to ensure a clean and ethical government; passing a Freedom of Information Act to enable citizens to access the process of decision-making by government and other public bodies in the interest of transparency and fairness; and addressing land reform.
