Namibia’s National Society for Human Rights (NSHR) once again strongly condemns the escalating acts of election-related violence and provocations in the country. Contrary to its daily claims, on Namibian Broadcasting Corporation (NBC) Radio and TV News as well as current affairs programs that it is genuinely committed to peace, stability and socio-economic development, the ruling Swapo Party is in fact increasingly sowing seeds of Zimbabwe-style election violence and political instability in the country.

Several incidents of violence have been monitored and or reports have been received by NSHR through its election monitoring hotline number: 0855 900 886.

Mainly Oshiwambo-speaking Swapo Party activists yesterday unleashed yet another wave of violence and provocations against the supporters of Opposition parties in various parts of the country.

Last Friday evening between 20h00 and 21h00 in Eveline Street in the Goreangab suburb of Windhoek, fighting broke out between a group of 15 Swapo Party activists and 7 opposition Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) supporters after the former singing ‘We are Nujoma’s soldiers’ removed a RDP poster from a municipal light pole. Members of the Wanaheda Police precinct rapidly intervened and no further incident occurred that evening.

Yesterday at the Aussenkehr Settlement in the Karas Region in the deep South of the country between 12h00 and 12h00, close to 100 Oshiwambo-speaking Swapo Party supporters mobbed a group of about 30 Congress of Democrats (CoD) election campaigners. The Swapo Party activists, singing praises for former Namibian President Sam Nujoma, seized and or destroyed at least 4 small CoD flags. They also prevented the CoD activists from campaigning any further at the Settlement.

CoD National Assembly Candidate Elma Dienda (44), who led the CoD expedition, confirmed the incident. Dienda told NSHR that Swapo Party activists also prevented her 5-member team from campaigning at Noordoewer the previous day. Swapo Party supporters told CoD activists that Aussenkehr and other places in the South were ‘no go areas’ for other parties. Dienda laid several charges of intimidation and obstruction as well as malicious destruction of property at the Aussenkehr and Noordoewer Police precincts.

Also, at the Single Quarters in Windhoek’s Mungunda Street yesterday, several Swapo Party supporters, who allegedly included Swapo Party mouthpiece editor Asser Ntinda, removed an RDP poster from a municipal light post adjacent to the “Libertine” Market stalls. As a consequence, at least two Swapo Party supporters were allegedly slapped in their faces by RDP activists after the Swapo Party members hid an RDP poster and hurled insults at the latter while praising President Nujoma.

Furthermore, in the Omusati Region yesterday, Namibian Police members had to use rubber batons to prevent close to 200 Swapo Party members from obstructing an election rally by RDP at the town of Outapi. Hence, the rally proceeded unhindered.

However, soon after at the end of the rally at approximately 14h30 and despite the presence of a large contingent of Namibian Police members, between 500 and 700 Swapo Party supporters attacked the convoys of RDP rally goers as they left Outapi town. The attackers used stones and various objects. In the process, several RDP supporters and members of the media as well as Police officers sustained injuries to the legs and heads. At least one male Police officer sustained injuries near the eye.

An unconfirmed yet reliable NSHR source said that at least three people, including a Police officer, have been treated at Outapi’s Kamhaku State Hospital. They were treated for medium injuries.

Twelimona ya Nghiwewelwa (19) resident of Omahenge village in the Ohangwena Region, some 35 kilometers north of Ondangwa, received treatment at St Mary’s Roman Catholic Hospital at the Oshikuku Settlement. The Settlement is situated about 30 kilometers northwest of Oshakati. Ya Nghiwewelwa have been wounded to the head while traveling in the approximately 100-vehicle RDP convoy which came under Swapo Party attack east of Outapi. Paulus Nghifindwako (32) another RDP party member and a resident of Onamutayi - Ongwediva-Oshana Region also showed to human rights monitors his injuries at the right arm.

Windows on at least five RDP vehicles had been smashed.

In a rather reactive (not proactive) attempt to disperse the unruly Swapo Party activists, members of the Namibian Police contingent responded by firing teargas canisters. Several Swapo Party mobsters were arrested and taken to the Outapi Police precinct for questioning. In a retaliatory strike, some RDP supporters also stoned Swapo Party activists and the windows on the vehicle of at least one Swapo Party supporter were also shattered.

Meanwhile, human rights monitors holed up in Outapi after the main skirmishes along the Oshakati-Ruacana motorway have reported that a mob of defiant Swapo Party supporters later laid siege to the Outapi Police precinct and demanded the “immediate release of all those who you have arrested”. Police responded by warning the mobsters to disperse or face more teargas canisters.

Human rights monitors deployed within the Swapo Party crowd have also disturbingly overheard how some activists claimed that all the Oshikwanyama-speakers were followers of Hidipo Hamutenya, hence, they should leave Outapi. Hidipo Hamutenya is direct reference to the RDP President who, like the Swapo Party President Pohamba, is also Oshikwanyama-speaking.

This morning NSHR received a call from a concerned female Swapo Party member and who is Oshikwanyama-speaker who said this on condition of anonymity:

“The situation here in Outapi is tense charged with heavy racial undertones. We are now being told even this morning that all Kwanyamas here are followers of Hidipo Hamutenya and, hence, we must leave Outapi for the Ohangwena Region. We demand an immediate public apology from the Swapo Party lest some of us immediately surrender our Swapo Party membership cards and leave this place before we are hurt”.

The woman said they were organizing themselves to tell, among others, the Police and Regional Governor Sackey Kayone of Omusati about their personal security and to demand an apology.

“Hence, the ruling Swapo Party simply can’t have it both ways: a rebel movement and a ruling party at the same time. These violent and incendiary conducts by its supporters are incompatible with the Swapo Party’s proclaimed commitment to peace, stability and development in this country. A faction of the ruling Swapo Party has apparently adopted a Zimbabwe-style violence strategy in a desperate attempt to ensure a 100 percent election victory as they claim. Let us be honest about it. This is not the way to go under a so-called democracy”, observed NSHR executive director Phil ya Nangoloh this morning.

The current growing acts of violence should not be laid at the feet of President Pohamba, Prime Minister Nahas Angula, Safety and Security Minister Nickey Iyambo and or Environment and Tourism Minister Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah. These Swapo Party leaders have unambiguously urged their supporters to shun violence.

“Rather, the seeds of violence are in our opinion being sown by, among others, Swapo Party Secretary General and Justice Minister Pendukeni Iivula-Ithana and former Namibian President Sam Nujoma. Moreover, the violent Swapo Party supporters, more often than not, praise President Nujoma. As the ‘Supreme Leader of the Namibian Revolution’, President Nujoma is regarded as superior to President Pohamba as Iran’s Supreme Ruler, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, is over that country’s President Ahmed Ahmedinejad”, ya Nangoloh concluded.

NSHR once again warns that the increasing acts of provocation, intimidation and violence have the potential of not only to undermine the freeness and fairness as well as the credibility of the current electoral process, but also to destabilize law and order and might to civil strife in the country.

Finally, NSHR would like to rhetorically ask the Minister of Safety and Security, Dr. Nickey Iyambo, and or the Inspector General of the Namibian Police, Lt-General Sebastian Ndeitunga, following questions:

1. Are political parties required to notify the Namibian Police about the date, time and venue of their planned rallies, meetings, marches and or demonstrations in order for the Police to maintain law and order at such events?

2. Did Swapo Party comply with this requirement before staging their violent demonstrations at Outapi yesterday? If not, then why did the Police allow Swapo Party supporters to continue demonstrating alongside the road that was to be used by their RDP rivals?

3. If yes, then why did the Police lead the RDP convoy virtually into “the Swapo Party ambush”? It must be borne in mind that Paragraph 3 of the Code of Conduct for Political Parties clearly states: “Parties shall avoid holding rallies, meetings, marches or demonstrations physically close to one another during the same time of the day.”