MR. Kuaima Riruako, Nudo president, spoke at a rally at Opuwo on Sunday. He had the following to say.
“As partners in democracy, Nudo as an established political movement is geared to participate in the forthcoming national assembly and presidential elections, to be held on 27-28 November 2009.
“For the past number of weeks, this nation has seen vigorous political campaigns from various political parties across our country, selling their message to you, the voters.
“As a political party, Nudo too has been in the race for the hearts and minds of voters across our beautiful country. I must however, register our utter disappointment, as a political party, with the conduct and evident strategy employed by the NBC to vehemently suffocate opposition parties in their coverage.
“The news bulletins of the NBC for the past couple of weeks have been deliberately stuffed with heavy content from the ruling party, Swapo, at the expense of the opposition establishment.
“Yet, the NBC would love the nati on and the world to believe they are impartial and national in approach, which is a blatant untruth as evidenced by its behaviour, notably during this particular campaign. NBC, you have disappointed us, you have compromised the image of our country as a democratic and peace loving nation, by dominantly promoting one party above all others. Now we understand why the previous Director General had to be sacked to make room for someone directly from the Swapo think tank.
“Our constitution provides for free education until the age of 16. All these years since independence, there has been no free education at all. Government says learners are not supposed to be denied schoolingon account of a lack of money by parents. Yet, all schools in this country, (including state schools), have been sending learners away who could not pay school fees. This is not right, and should not be allowed to happen. Free education must mean free education, period!
“We have a duty to ensure that our basic rights as Namibians are protected. We are entitled to decent public health care; we are entitled to clean water as a basic commodity for our livelihood. These services are either lacking or provided insufficiently, and compromise our livelihood as a country.
“Government has outsourced the provision to NamWater. Ever since, countless Namibians have lost their livestock because NamWater shut the taps due to, at times, socalled non-payment. NamWater as a business concern runs its activities in tandem with business laws, and thus their focus is not upholding life, but rather getting its bills paid.
“Poor people must pay for water or face thirst. The NamWater idea was not a good one at all and our position is for the provision of water to be returned to central government without further delay.
“Crime and violence is reaching disproportionate rates in our country. Elders who worked hard to develop our country are increasingly brutally murdered on their farms. This must stop immediately. We urge the police to establish a special unit to address this heinous crime. You are no longer safe in your home at night. You cannot walk the shortest distance to shop or seeing a friend or relative, as criminals lie and wait for you to rob and or kill you. What kind of country lives like that? “This is a clear indication that we need change and we need it fast. By voting for Nudo, you will ensure that if elected to power, we will keep government on its toes on all these and other crucial issues.
“I therefore urge you to turn out in numbers and cast your vote for Nudo.”
