Special voting: Write off PDM at your own peril, warns Venaani

Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) president McHenry Venaani says the official opposition will demonstrate the strength of its support on election day.Venaani was speaking at the PDM mega rally at Oshakati Independence Stadium on Saturday. His comments come after the special election vote, held last week for Namibians in the diaspora, members of the army, police and seafarers.Venaani thanked those who voted for the PDM and said while some people may think the party did not receive enough votes, those who underestimate the PDM do so at their own peril.Venaani highlighted that only 1% of registered voters cast their ballot. “Underestimate us at your own peril. We are a force of change in this country, come hell or high water. We are going to show this country who we are and how far and how deep we have mobilised ourselves for bringing change,” he said.Venaani expressed his elation at seeing young people chanting and dancing behind him, saying: “Venaani presser. We are going to press.” NBC is not here Venaani took a swipe at the Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC), saying the state media has never been fair in terms of its election coverage. “NBC, you might try to hide the strength of PDM but we are going to press on 27 November. We are going to roar like a lion on 27 November. You may ignore us [but] we will use social media or whatever we have, to tell the world that we are not child’s play,” Venaani said. He noted that the PDM has not come this far by being made of ‘sugar candy’ but emphasised that the party has a strong moral fibre.Healthcare in shambles Venaani further criticised Namibia’s healthcare system, which he said is in shambles.“Medicine is in constant short supply, and the facilities that should nurture health remain understaffed and underfunded. [Namibia] deserves more than this,” he said. He called for a total reset and said the PDM is the only vehicle through which Namibia can be transformed.“We want to see an egalitarian, equitable, just and free Namibia, and we can get there. It is not some distant dream. We have the evidence-based, pragmatic solutions needed to address the scourge of unemployment and the three-prong developmental challenges in our country,” he said.He highlighted that the PDM has long fought for the Namibian people at grassroots level, within the corridors of power, and on a legislative level.He said once voted in power, the PDM will seek to increase the budgetary allocation for agriculture to 10%, in line with the Malabo Protocol, to achieve agricultural modernisation and mechanisation in order to address food insecurity. “We must remember young, unemployed graduates who are sitting at home and feel they face a bleak future; we must remember our villages that do not have water; we must remember the rising cost of living which forces our people to go to bed on a hungry stomach. “Vote for hope, vote for change and vote for a better Namibia,” he added. #NamibiaDecides2024

Special voting: Write off PDM at your own peril, warns Venaani

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-07

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Special voting: Write off PDM at your own peril, warns Venaani

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Namibian Sun 2025-03-07

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