Youths, learn from Dr Iitula
ALFEUS LUNGAMENI SUCCESS HAMUNDJA WRITES:
In the upcoming local authority and regional council elections, young people should learn one or two things from Dr Fillemon Mbango Iitula’s phenomenon. If young people are not going to step forward to contest, and take over the leadership, the same old, tired faces will recycle themselves in positions of authority. Dr Iitula was a political novice, someone who had never governed a village or local authority before, yet he was very determined to contest for the highest office of the land. I want to remind fellow Namibians, particularly the youth that before the build up to the 2019 elections, the name Panduleni Iitula had no relevance in our body politic and the collective imagination of the Namibian public. I therefore think that there are many key lessons to draw from him for the purpose of the future.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am here talking of a man whom I personally did not vote for in the last elections, but I learned much from him. I am talking about a man, the son of the soil, a dental practitioner, a former Swapo Party lecturer at the Swapo Party School, who in 2019 presidential election pocketed 29.4% (242 657) votes as an independent candidate while claiming to be a Swapo member.
As a youth activist and student of history I know what catapulted Dr Iitula to prominence: it was fishrot saga, factionalism in Swapo and identity politics. In fact in 2019 he never presented substantive about how he wanted to transform Namibia economically and socially. However the Iitula phenomenon for change dominated Namibia political landscape. Iitula phenomenon for change posed the biggest threat to Swapo as compared to all political parties we have in this country post, independence.
Iitula is politically matured, politically enlightened that is why many voted for him. Iitula knows the Namibian constitution by heart. Iitulas political campaigns were well funded, I do not know the source but all I know they had money for their campaigns. Many will argue that knowing the constitution by heart will not solve anything. To those who are reasoning like that I do not know how I can describe them. I believe that knowing the constitution is very crucial, it will help in solving sociol economic challenges facing the nation. Therefore young people study the Namibian constitution, the supreme law governing us. If need be you should know it better than Dr Iitula. Be able to read and interpret laws. Be able to quote the articles like Iitula does. Fellow young Namibians, there are many good lessons we can learn from the Doctor.
I regard Iitula as the founding father of presidential independent candidates in Namibia. Let the truth be told, Iitula was the reason why Namibia is no longer using (EVMs). Therefore, I might forget many good lessons that we can draw from him, however I hope I influenced those of us that are going to contest for election in November 2025 to learn from few things from the man who founded a party which has more than 18 seats in parliament today. The man who founded a party which is the official opposition party today in Namibia.
To cut the story short, all I wanted to say to the young people is: NEVER GIVE UP! RELENTLESS DETERMINATION WILL OVERCOME FEAR AND YOU WILL WIN NOVEMBER 2025 ELECTION AS A PARTY YOUNG LEADER OR AS AN INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE. GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
(Independent candidate: Oshikango constituency Nov. 2025 Election)
In the upcoming local authority and regional council elections, young people should learn one or two things from Dr Fillemon Mbango Iitula’s phenomenon. If young people are not going to step forward to contest, and take over the leadership, the same old, tired faces will recycle themselves in positions of authority. Dr Iitula was a political novice, someone who had never governed a village or local authority before, yet he was very determined to contest for the highest office of the land. I want to remind fellow Namibians, particularly the youth that before the build up to the 2019 elections, the name Panduleni Iitula had no relevance in our body politic and the collective imagination of the Namibian public. I therefore think that there are many key lessons to draw from him for the purpose of the future.
Ladies and gentlemen, I am here talking of a man whom I personally did not vote for in the last elections, but I learned much from him. I am talking about a man, the son of the soil, a dental practitioner, a former Swapo Party lecturer at the Swapo Party School, who in 2019 presidential election pocketed 29.4% (242 657) votes as an independent candidate while claiming to be a Swapo member.
As a youth activist and student of history I know what catapulted Dr Iitula to prominence: it was fishrot saga, factionalism in Swapo and identity politics. In fact in 2019 he never presented substantive about how he wanted to transform Namibia economically and socially. However the Iitula phenomenon for change dominated Namibia political landscape. Iitula phenomenon for change posed the biggest threat to Swapo as compared to all political parties we have in this country post, independence.
Iitula is politically matured, politically enlightened that is why many voted for him. Iitula knows the Namibian constitution by heart. Iitulas political campaigns were well funded, I do not know the source but all I know they had money for their campaigns. Many will argue that knowing the constitution by heart will not solve anything. To those who are reasoning like that I do not know how I can describe them. I believe that knowing the constitution is very crucial, it will help in solving sociol economic challenges facing the nation. Therefore young people study the Namibian constitution, the supreme law governing us. If need be you should know it better than Dr Iitula. Be able to read and interpret laws. Be able to quote the articles like Iitula does. Fellow young Namibians, there are many good lessons we can learn from the Doctor.
I regard Iitula as the founding father of presidential independent candidates in Namibia. Let the truth be told, Iitula was the reason why Namibia is no longer using (EVMs). Therefore, I might forget many good lessons that we can draw from him, however I hope I influenced those of us that are going to contest for election in November 2025 to learn from few things from the man who founded a party which has more than 18 seats in parliament today. The man who founded a party which is the official opposition party today in Namibia.
To cut the story short, all I wanted to say to the young people is: NEVER GIVE UP! RELENTLESS DETERMINATION WILL OVERCOME FEAR AND YOU WILL WIN NOVEMBER 2025 ELECTION AS A PARTY YOUNG LEADER OR AS AN INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE. GOD BLESS YOU ALL.
(Independent candidate: Oshikango constituency Nov. 2025 Election)
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