Swapo delivers poll knockout

As predicted, Swapo made a near clean sweep in this past Friday’s local and regional authority elections - with preliminary and confirmed results indicating it is poised to take charge of 112 out of 121 constituencies countrywide. This represents a nearly 93% winning rate for the ruling party and might see Swapo virtually occupying all the National Council seats. The elections were, however marred by isolated incidents and a low turnout, which saw many people enjoying a long weekend of partying, boozing and travelling, instead of casting their votes. Swapo had already emerged winners in 26 constituencies before a single vote was cast. This is after opposition parties failed to field candidates in those constituencies to compete with the ruling party. In Friday’s vote, which has been generally described as free and fair, Swapo outclassed the opposition in its traditional strongholds in both the regional and local authority elections. The ruling party specifically made serious inroads in the Kunene Region, beating the United Democratic Front (UDF) in Sesfontein, Khorixas and Kamanjab, while retaining the Outjo Constituency. Swapo also managed to win the new Opuwo Urban Constituency, following a serious challenge from DTA, which in turn scooped the Opuwo Rural vote, while retaining Epupa. This means that the UDF failed to retain any of its key constituencies in Kunene. However, there was some consolation for the UDF in the Erongo Region, after the party wrestled back control of the Dâures Constituency. After the opposition party dominated in Dâures for many years, Swapo through its candidate Ehrnst Katjiku managed to unseat the UDF in the 2010 elections, but now had to play second fiddle after UDF candidate Joram !Haoseb received 1 584 votes, compared to the 1 390 votes that went to Katjiku. Swapo also suffered a major upset in Otjombinde Constituency of the Omaheke Region, where independent candidate Katjanaa Kaurivi prevailed to comfortably win the regional elections, after receiving 1 396 votes. Swapo’s Aaron Marenga could only manage to garner 681 votes, while Mati Ndjoze of Swanu got 267 votes. The DTA’s Lukas Katjiremba could only amass a paltry 134 votes. Nudo also retained its grip in Aminius and Otjinene. At Aminius, Nudo’s Peter Kazongominja won with 2 418 votes against Swapo’s Utiriua Kavari, who obtained 1 785 votes, while Erwin Katjizeu won the Otjinene Constituency by garnering1 529 of the total 2 833 votes. Nudo’s election rollercoaster continued in the Otjozondjupa Region, where it managed to unseat Swapo to take the Omatako Constituency, while Vetaruhe Kandorozu achieved a third term as Okakarara Constituency Councillor, after a comfortable victory at the polls. At Omatako, Nudo’s Israel Hukura garnered more votes than Swapo Otjozondjupa regional coordinator and candidate Susana Hikopua. In a close race, Hukura received 1 187 votes - 43 more votes than Hikopua, who received 1 144. Diergaardt loses in Rehoboth There was another upset for Swapo at Rehoboth, where Deputy Agriculture Minister Theo Diergaardt’s political career hangs in the balance, after losing out to Wilhelmina Christ of the United People’s Movement (UPM) in the Rehoboth Urban West vote. Christ received a total of 1 975 votes, while Diergaardt came second with 1 479 votes. The DTA’s candidate Christiaan Kotze received 159. RDP loses Windhoek East In the Khomas Region, the RDP lost the only constituency under its control, after failing to retain the affluent Windhoek East. The constituency has been a huge battleground between the RDP and Swapo, and this time around it was the ruling party’s candidate Ruusa Namuhuja who had the last laugh. Namuhuja received 1 795 votes, while Jens Schneider of the RDP garnered 1 169, followed by veteran politician and DTA candidate Reggie Diergaardt, who got 743 votes. In 2010, Swapo lost out to the RDP by 130 votes. The former official opposition suffered a serious setback just before the elections, when influential party figures defected back to Swapo. These included former party president Hidipo Hamutenya, who returned to Swapo in August after forming the RDP in 2007. Hamutenya recently addressed a Swapo rally in northern Namibia. FESTUS NAKATANA