Staff Writer

Swapo Party secretary-general Sophia Shaningwa said history binds the elders’ council with a responsibility to impact and transmit their experience to the youth.

Shaningwa said this when she addressed the elders’ council’s central committee members in Windhoek on Sunday.

She said the elders should strive to combat all individualistic, tribalistic, racist, regionalist, and other reactionary tendencies among Namibian elders.

“Whereas, like other militant wings of Swapo Party, the Swapo Party Elders’ Council had a specific historic mission to mobilise and rally the elders of Namibia behind the Namibian people’s struggle for freedom and national independence,” Shaningwa said.

She added that by mobilising the nation, the elders would help Namibians take their respectable place among the community of Nations.

“I am happy to say that all the past years SPEC had given a good example, especially during the elections and other activities, such as fighting for the benefit of the elders and senior citizens to be integrated into the national development programmes as well as to be respected in our societies. 

“Comrade elders, my concern is the renewal of mandate that some regions did not finish. Having proper structures in place that cannot be compromised. That is mandatory and must be done by all the regions,” Shaningwa said. 

According to Shaningwa, when there are elections, there is no way that Swapo Party will win if the structures are not in place. 

“They must be put in place,” she said, adding that she understands that the regions are vast, and there is no money to transport people to meetings, places, etc. 

“However, let us try to make sure that we finish the renewals of the mandate before your Congress in July 2022 by all means (whatever the cost),” she said.