Rally for Democracy and Progress (Namibia)
Encyclopedia
The Rally for Democracy and Progress is an opposition political party in Namibia
. It was launched on November 17 2007 under the leadership of Hidipo Hamutenya
and Jesaya Nyamu
, both former leading members of the ruling SWAPO party and cabinet ministers. Hamutenya had unsuccessfully sought the SWAPO nomination for President in 2004. At the time of the RDP's launch, it was considered to represent the strongest challenge to SWAPO's political dominance since the country gained its independence in 1990. According to Hamutenya, speaking at the RDP's launch, the party was "born in response to our people's deep longing for a vision, political direction and the rekindling of their hopes and aspiration for a better and prosperous future".
Speaking at a SWAPO rally on January 19 2008, SWAPO Secretary-General Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana
accused the RDP of spreading lies and promoting tribalism. In early August 2008, she characterized the RDP as a tribal party "targeting the Oukwanyama
in the Ohangwena Region
".
, Jesaya Nyamu
and Agnes Limbo
. Concerning the crises in Zimbabwe
, Hamutenya said "The Zimbabwe crisis is manmade and that regime should not be allowed to continue. It has led to poverty and hardship".
. The party's leader and presidential candidate, Hidipo Hamutenya
, won 10.91% of the vote. RDP and eight other opposition parties disputed the result and filed a case in court to have the results put aside, but the case was denied.
The eight members of the National Assembly are: Hidipo Hamutenya
, Steve Bezuidenhout, Jesaya Nyamu
, Agnes Limbo
, Anton von Wietersheim
, Kandy Nehova
, Peter Naholo
and Heiko Lucks
.
. RDP decided to wait until the Supreme Court of Namibia
ruled on whether to put aside the election results. It was not until 14 September 2010 that the eight RDP members of the National Assembly were sworn in.
On 8 September 2010, RDP began the process of subsuming the Republican Party
led by Henk Mudge
following a memorandum of understanding
agreement on September 8. In the agreement, The Republican Party would begin to phase out as an independent political organization and eventually come under the umbrella of RDP. The parties said they would work together in the November 2010 regional and local elections to unseat the ruling SWAPO party.
Namibia
Namibia, officially the Republic of Namibia , is a country in southern Africa whose western border is the Atlantic Ocean. It shares land borders with Angola and Zambia to the north, Botswana to the east and South Africa to the south and east. It gained independence from South Africa on 21 March...
. It was launched on November 17 2007 under the leadership of Hidipo Hamutenya
Hidipo Hamutenya
Hidipo L. Hamutenya is a Namibian politician. A long-time leading member of the South West Africa People's Organization , Hamutenya was a member of the Cabinet of Namibia from independence in 1990 to 2004...
and Jesaya Nyamu
Jesaya Nyamu
Jesaya Nyamu is a Namibian politician. A member of the Rally for Democracy and Progress , Nyamu was a high level member of the South West Africa People's Organization from 1964, when he fled into exile, until 2002, when he was expelled from the party for "disobedience"...
, both former leading members of the ruling SWAPO party and cabinet ministers. Hamutenya had unsuccessfully sought the SWAPO nomination for President in 2004. At the time of the RDP's launch, it was considered to represent the strongest challenge to SWAPO's political dominance since the country gained its independence in 1990. According to Hamutenya, speaking at the RDP's launch, the party was "born in response to our people's deep longing for a vision, political direction and the rekindling of their hopes and aspiration for a better and prosperous future".
Speaking at a SWAPO rally on January 19 2008, SWAPO Secretary-General Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana
Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana
Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana is a Namibian politician and the Secretary-General of the South-West Africa People's Organization ....
accused the RDP of spreading lies and promoting tribalism. In early August 2008, she characterized the RDP as a tribal party "targeting the Oukwanyama
Kwanyama
Kwanyama or Oshikwanyama is a national language of Angola and Namibia. It is a standardized dialect of the Ovambo language, and is mutually intelligible with Ndonga, the other Ovambo dialect with a standard written form....
in the Ohangwena Region
Ohangwena Region
Ohangwena is one of the thirteen regions of Namibia. The northern and western parts of the region are the most densely populated of this essentially subsistence agricultural region in which small scale mahangu cultivation and the keeping of cattle form the predominant activities...
".
2008 conference and criticism of Robert Mugabe
In December 2008, RDP held the party's first national conference. Hamutenya was officially selected as leader of the party. Other parties leaders included Steve BezuidenhoudtSteve Bezuidenhoudt
Steve Bezuidenhout is a Namibian politician. A Coloured Namibian, Bezuidenhoudt is the Vice President of the Rally for Democracy and Progress . He joined SWAPO in 1989 and was active until he left to help form RDP...
, Jesaya Nyamu
Jesaya Nyamu
Jesaya Nyamu is a Namibian politician. A member of the Rally for Democracy and Progress , Nyamu was a high level member of the South West Africa People's Organization from 1964, when he fled into exile, until 2002, when he was expelled from the party for "disobedience"...
and Agnes Limbo
Agnes Limbo
Agnes Mundia Limbo is a Namibian politician. A member of the Rally for Democracy and Progress , she was named the Deputy Secretary of the party at their founding conference in December 2008...
. Concerning the crises in Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe
Zimbabwe is a landlocked country located in the southern part of the African continent, between the Zambezi and Limpopo rivers. It is bordered by South Africa to the south, Botswana to the southwest, Zambia and a tip of Namibia to the northwest and Mozambique to the east. Zimbabwe has three...
, Hamutenya said "The Zimbabwe crisis is manmade and that regime should not be allowed to continue. It has led to poverty and hardship".
2009 Elections
At the 2009 elections, RDP won 11% of the vote and 8 seats in the National AssemblyNational Assembly of Namibia
The National Assembly of Namibia is the lower chamber of the country's bicameral Parliament. It has a total of 78 members. 72 members are directly elected through a system of party-list proportional representation and serve five-year terms. Six additional members are appointed by the President.The...
. The party's leader and presidential candidate, Hidipo Hamutenya
Hidipo Hamutenya
Hidipo L. Hamutenya is a Namibian politician. A long-time leading member of the South West Africa People's Organization , Hamutenya was a member of the Cabinet of Namibia from independence in 1990 to 2004...
, won 10.91% of the vote. RDP and eight other opposition parties disputed the result and filed a case in court to have the results put aside, but the case was denied.
The eight members of the National Assembly are: Hidipo Hamutenya
Hidipo Hamutenya
Hidipo L. Hamutenya is a Namibian politician. A long-time leading member of the South West Africa People's Organization , Hamutenya was a member of the Cabinet of Namibia from independence in 1990 to 2004...
, Steve Bezuidenhout, Jesaya Nyamu
Jesaya Nyamu
Jesaya Nyamu is a Namibian politician. A member of the Rally for Democracy and Progress , Nyamu was a high level member of the South West Africa People's Organization from 1964, when he fled into exile, until 2002, when he was expelled from the party for "disobedience"...
, Agnes Limbo
Agnes Limbo
Agnes Mundia Limbo is a Namibian politician. A member of the Rally for Democracy and Progress , she was named the Deputy Secretary of the party at their founding conference in December 2008...
, Anton von Wietersheim
Anton von Wietersheim
Anton von Wietersheim is a Namibian politician. Wietersheim was a member of the Constituent Assembly of Namibia from 1989 to 1990 and was elected to the National Assembly as a SWAPO candidate in 1990...
, Kandy Nehova
Kandy Nehova
Kandy Nehova is a Namibian politician. A member of the Rally for Democracy and Progress , Nehova is a member of the National Assembly of Namibia following the 2009 election...
, Peter Naholo
Peter Naholo
Peter Naholo is a Namibian politician and former trade unionist. Naholo was a combatant with the People's Liberation Army of Namibia , the military wing of the SWAPO liberation movement. In 2009, he was placed sixth on the National Assembly list for the newly formed Rally for Democracy and Progress...
and Heiko Lucks
Heiko Lucks
Heiko Lucks is a Namibian politician. A member of the Rally for Democracy and Progress, Lucks was elected to the National Assembly of Namibia in the 2009 general election....
.
2010 regional elections, National Assembly boycott and merger
In March 2010, because of the disputed 2009 election, RDP decided to boycott the swearing-in ceremony of the National Assembly of NamibiaNational Assembly of Namibia
The National Assembly of Namibia is the lower chamber of the country's bicameral Parliament. It has a total of 78 members. 72 members are directly elected through a system of party-list proportional representation and serve five-year terms. Six additional members are appointed by the President.The...
. RDP decided to wait until the Supreme Court of Namibia
Supreme Court of Namibia
The Supreme Court of Namibia is the supreme court in all matters under Namibian law. It is the court of last resort and highest appellate court in the country. It is located in the centre of the capital Windhoek.-History:...
ruled on whether to put aside the election results. It was not until 14 September 2010 that the eight RDP members of the National Assembly were sworn in.
On 8 September 2010, RDP began the process of subsuming the Republican Party
Republican Party (Namibia)
The Republican Party was a political party in Namibia, based among the white minority. Henk Mudge is its President and its sole representative in the National Assembly. Prior to the 2004 parliamentary election, the Republican Party was part of the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance . It was revived as...
led by Henk Mudge
Henk Mudge
Henk Mudge is a Namibian former politician. He is the former President of the Republican Party and formerly the party's only member in the National Assembly. He was replaced in the National Assembly by Clara Gowases....
following a memorandum of understanding
Memorandum of understanding
A memorandum of understanding is a document describing a bilateral or multilateral agreement between parties. It expresses a convergence of will between the parties, indicating an intended common line of action. It is often used in cases where parties either do not imply a legal commitment or in...
agreement on September 8. In the agreement, The Republican Party would begin to phase out as an independent political organization and eventually come under the umbrella of RDP. The parties said they would work together in the November 2010 regional and local elections to unseat the ruling SWAPO party.
External links
- RDP.org.na Official Web Site