Patriots for Change choose leaders
National Council of Patriots elected
The IPC has endorsed Panduleni Itula once again as its presidential candidate for 2024, while appointing Walvis Bay mayor Trevino Forbes as its vice-president.
The Independent Patriots for Change (IPC) has endorsed its incumbent leader Dr Panduleni Itula once again as its presidential candidate for 2024 while appointing Walvis Bay mayor Trevino Forbes as the party’s vice-president.
During the party’s first National Council of Patriots meeting held at the weekend, the National Council of Patriots, which is equivalent to the central committee of a political party, was elected.
The National Council of Patriots consists of 61 members with an additional eight members appointed by party president Itula, who stressed on Friday that they have their work cut out for them.
According to him, Namibians came together 32 years ago at the Constituent Assembly to create a state and one nation and not as political parties, however the so-called liberators of the country took advantage.
“They took advantage of creating institutions that benefited only a certain grouping of people – the so-called entitled while the majority of our people toil in poverty and continue to today.
"Never before have people suffered so patiently such as the people of Namibia. Never before have people been misled in so many ways.
"Patriots, you have a mission to liberate our people but also to liberate yourself to understand your mission,” he said.
Itula said independence and freedom are worth nothing when freedom of expression is curtailed and freedom to education and justice is non-existent while corruption is flourishing.
“The failure of Swapo administration allowed corruption to flourish and it is called empowerment in those quarters. When our teachers are still without any salary increase, our soldiers without uniform – what is peace worth?” he said.
He stressed though that Namibia was formed for Namibians by Namibians and not by political parties.
“Not political parties, not Swapo, not Swanu, not DTA not any other, but as the people of Namibia and no one can claim to be the founder of the nation but the Namibian nation itself.
"It is there that we developed the kind of rules that would govern our people and that has given us the freedom to participate in political activities. Not because we were wearing trousers or because we were carrying a gun, not because we were imprisoned or the children of Witbooi, followers of Hermanus van Wyk or the children of Mandume or Nehale,” he said.
[email protected]
During the party’s first National Council of Patriots meeting held at the weekend, the National Council of Patriots, which is equivalent to the central committee of a political party, was elected.
The National Council of Patriots consists of 61 members with an additional eight members appointed by party president Itula, who stressed on Friday that they have their work cut out for them.
According to him, Namibians came together 32 years ago at the Constituent Assembly to create a state and one nation and not as political parties, however the so-called liberators of the country took advantage.
“They took advantage of creating institutions that benefited only a certain grouping of people – the so-called entitled while the majority of our people toil in poverty and continue to today.
"Never before have people suffered so patiently such as the people of Namibia. Never before have people been misled in so many ways.
"Patriots, you have a mission to liberate our people but also to liberate yourself to understand your mission,” he said.
Itula said independence and freedom are worth nothing when freedom of expression is curtailed and freedom to education and justice is non-existent while corruption is flourishing.
“The failure of Swapo administration allowed corruption to flourish and it is called empowerment in those quarters. When our teachers are still without any salary increase, our soldiers without uniform – what is peace worth?” he said.
He stressed though that Namibia was formed for Namibians by Namibians and not by political parties.
“Not political parties, not Swapo, not Swanu, not DTA not any other, but as the people of Namibia and no one can claim to be the founder of the nation but the Namibian nation itself.
"It is there that we developed the kind of rules that would govern our people and that has given us the freedom to participate in political activities. Not because we were wearing trousers or because we were carrying a gun, not because we were imprisoned or the children of Witbooi, followers of Hermanus van Wyk or the children of Mandume or Nehale,” he said.
[email protected]
Comments
Namibian Sun
No comments have been left on this article