VZCZCXYZ0000
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHWD #0006/01 0131519
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 131519Z JAN 09
FM AMEMBASSY WINDHOEK
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0279

UNCLAS WINDHOEK 000006 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PGOV PREL WA
SUBJECT: PRESIDENT HIFIKEPUNYE POHAMBA'S NEW YEAR MESSAGE 
 
REF: WINDHOEK 394 
 
1.(SBU) BELOW ARE EXCERPTS FROM PRESIDENT HIFIKEPUNYE POHAMBA'S NEW 
YEAR MESSAGE TO THE PEOPLE OF NAMIBIA ON JANUARY 1. IT CONTAINS A 
STRONG APPEAL FOR POLITICAL TOLERANCE AND FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS. 
THE SPEECH WAS DELIVERED AFTER A YEAR WHICH SAW A SERIES OF 
HIGH-PROFILE CONFRONTATIONS BETWEEN SOUTHWEST AFRICA PEOPLE'S 
ORGANIZATION (SWAPO) PARTY AND THE OPPOSITION (REFTEL). 
 
¶2. (SBU) ON JANUARY 9, DAYS AFTER THE SPEECH WAS DELIVERED, THE 
RULING SWAPO PARTY CALLED FOR THE DISMISSAL OF THE DIRECTOR GENERAL 
OF THE NAMIBIAN BROADCASTING CORPORATION (NBC), FOR ALLEGEDLY 
ORCHESTRATING-- OR AT LEAST ALLOWING-- THE APPEARANCE OF A RALLY FOR 
DEMOCRACY AND PROGRESS (RDP) PARTY FLAG BEHIND THE PRESIDENT AFTER 
HE READ HIS SPEECH ON NATIONAL TELEVISION. (USUALLY THE NATIONAL 
FLAG IS DISPLAYED FOR PRESIDENTIAL ADDRESSES.) THE OFFICE OF THE 
PRESIDENT HAS DEMANDED A REPORT OF THE INCIDENT FROM THE MINISTRY OF 
INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATION TECHNOLOGY. 
 
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EXCERPTS OF SPEECH 
------------------ 
 
¶3. (U)  IT IS A SOURCE OF JOY THAT OUR COUNTRY HAS GENERALLY 
MAINTAINED A STATE OF PEACE AND SECURITY. OUR CONSTITUTIONAL 
DEMOCRATIC ORDER IS GROWING STRONGER FROM YEAR TO YEAR. WE LOOK 
FORWARD TO THE PRESIDENTIAL AND NATIONAL ASSEMBLY ELECTIONS THIS 
YEAR. 
 
 
¶4. (U) THE YEAR ALSO WITNESSED BY-ELECTIONS AT RUNDU RURAL WEST, 
EENHANA AND TOBIAS HAINYEKO CONSTITUENCIES, AS WELL AS THE LOCAL 
AUTHORITY ELECTIONS FOR THE NEWLY PROCLAIMED TOWNS OF NKURENKURU AND 
OMUTHIYA RESPECTIVELY. 
 
¶5. (U) FELLOW NAMIBIANS, THE CONDUCT OF FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS IS 
THE LIFEBLOOD OF ANY DEMOCRATIC SYSTEM. IT IS THROUGH ELECTIONS THAT 
THE ELECTORATE CAN EXPRESS THEIR PREFERENCES FOR LEADERS AND FOR 
POLICY OPTIONS AND STRATEGIES CHAMPIONED BY DIFFERENT POLITICAL 
PARTIES. THE SUCCESSFUL CONDUCT OF REGULAR FREE AND FAIR ELECTIONS 
IN OUR COUNTRY AT DIFFERENT LEVELS OVER THE YEARS, THEREFORE, SPEAKS 
VOLUMES ABOUT THE STRENGTH OF OUR YOUNG DEMOCRACY. 
 
¶6. (U) DESPITE THE POSITIVE TRENDS IN THE DEVELOPMENT OF OUR 
DEMOCRACY, THERE HAS BEEN SOME ISOLATED BUT DISTURBING INCIDENTS OF 
VIOLENCE, ESPECIALLY DURING ELECTION CAMPAIGNS. IN SOME INSTANCES, 
POLITICALLY MOTIVATED VIOLENCE HAS FLARED UP RESULTING IN INJURIES. 
 
¶7. (U) I WOULD, THEREFORE, PARTICULARLY LIKE TO CALL UPON ALL 
POLITICAL PARTIES TO DESIST FROM PROVOCATIVE ACTIONS THAT MAY LEAD 
TO VIOLENCE. ALL POLITICAL PARTIES AS WELL AS INDIVIDUAL CITIZENS 
MUST CULTIVATE A CULTURE OF PEACEFUL NON-PROVOCATIVE ELECTION 
CAMPAIGN. 
 
¶8. (U) ANY ACT OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE TAINTS THE IMAGE OF OUR COUNTRY 
AND DISCREDITS OUR CREDENTIALS AS A PEACE LOVING COUNTRY FOUNDED ON 
THE PRINCIPLES OF MULTI-PARTY DEMOCRACY AND THE RULE OF LAW. 
WE MUST ALL OF US, POLITICAL LEADERS, RELIGIOUS LEADERS, TRADITIONAL 
LEADERS AND COMMUNITY LEADERS CONTINUE TO BUILD ON THE STRENGTH OF 
OUR DIVERSITY AND POLITICAL MATURITY SO THAT NAMIBIA CAN CONTINUE TO 
SHINE AS ONE OF THE BRIGHTEST BEACONS OF DEMOCRACY AND POLITICAL 
TOLERANCE, NOT ONLY ON THE AFRICAN CONTINENT BUT ALSO AROUND THE 
WORLD. THE RETROGRESSIVE TENDENCIES OF ETHNIC BASED POLITICS, 
REGIONALISM AND OTHER VICES THAT SEEK TO DIVIDE OUR PEOPLE MUST NOT 
ONLY BE REJECTED, BUT IT MUST ALSO BE ROUNDLY CONDEMNED. 
 
¶9. (U) WE MUST MOULD A POLITICAL ORDER BASED ON THE STRENGTH OF 
PERSUASION OF OUR POLITICAL IDEALS AND THE VITALITY OF OUR POLITICAL 
PROGRAMMES. 
 
¶10. (U) IN NAMIBIA, THE VICTORY FOR POLITICAL POWER MUST BE WON OR 
LOST ON THE BATTLEFIELD OF IDEAS, WHERE THE PARTY WITH THE MOST 
CREDIBLE PROPOSALS AND TRACK RECORD FOR GOVERNANCE WILL GAIN THE 
MANDATE OF THE ELECTORATE THROUGH A SECRET BALLOT. IT IS THE IDEAS, 
THE VISION, THE TRACK RECORD AND INDEED, IT IS THE CORRECT AND SOUND 
PROGRAMME OF ACTION OF A POLITICAL PARTY WHICH CONVINCES THE 
ELECTORATE ABOUT THE SERIOUSNESS OF SUCH A POLITICAL PARTY. IT IS 
THOSE IDEAS AND THE VISION IN OUR PROGRAMMES WHICH WE MUST TAKE TO 
THE ELECTORATE THROUGH THE SECRET BALLOT IN A MATURE MANNER DEVOID 
OF POLITICAL VIOLENCE, PROVOCATION AND INTIMIDATION OF ONE ANOTHER. 
 
¶11. (U) IN THIS REGARD, I APPEAL TO ALL POLITICAL PARTIES TO 
STRICTLY ENSURE THAT POLITICAL CAMPAIGNS AND POLITICAL ACTIVITIES 
ARE CONDUCTED WITHIN THE LETTER AND SPIRIT OF THE NAMIBIAN 
CONSTITUTION AND OTHER LAWS OF OUR REPUBLIC. ALL POLITICAL PARTIES 
SHOULD STRICTLY ADHERE TO THE CODE OF CONDUCT AGREED TO BY POLITICAL 
PARTIES. THIS IS THE ONLY WAY THAT WE WILL BE ABLE TO GUARANTEE 
PEACE, SECURITY, STABILITY AND NATIONAL UNITY IN OUR COUNTRY. THIS 
IS THE ONLY WAY WE WILL BE ABLE TO PURSUE OUR POLICY OF NATIONAL 
RECONCILIATION. 
 
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COMMENT 
------- 
 
¶12. (SBU) DESPITE THE CONTROVERSY OVER THE APPEARANCE OF THE RDP 
FLAG, THE MESSAGE IN PRESIDENT POHAMBA'S SPEECH IS A WELCOME 
DEVELOPMENT THAT MARKS A FRESH POLITICAL TONE FOR THE NEW YEAR. WE 
HOPE THAT OTHER SENIOR SWAPO OFFICIALS WILL FOLLOW SUIT AND THAT THE 
POSITIVE DISCOURSE WILL RESONATE WITH THE RANK AND FILE. 
 
MATHIEU