Africa-Press – Namibia. Some opposition parties have thrown their support behind President Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah’s push for national unity, faster land reform and youth-focused development.
They said the country has reached a point where cooperation matters more than rivalry.
The call for political maturity came as the President met separately with the Republican Party and the Body of Christ Party at State House on Monday.
The engagements was described as “historic” and “long overdue”.
The discussions centred on urgent national priorities, including the Land Bill, economic inclusion and youth empowerment.
The President urged lawmakers and parties to “work together in the interest of the people who elected us”.
“We are guided by the National Development Plan Six, which identifies education, health, land, housing, agriculture, sports, creative industries and sanitation as our priorities. All of these focus on one key group – the youth. They are at the centre of what we must deliver,” President Nandi-Ndaitwah said.
She emphasised that the executive and Parliament share a duty to act with speed on laws that drive progress, citing pending amendments to the Land Bill, the Public Enterprises Act and the Petroleum Act.
“Time is running fast. We must act with purpose,” she said.
RP
Republican Party president Henk Mudge applauded the President’s decision to resume direct talks with opposition parties, calling it “a practical step toward results-driven politics”.
“We are not the enemies of government or of Swapo. Our focus is on national issues, not emotional politics. We can play the blame game, but that won’t solve anything. What we need is to find solutions together,” he said.
Mudge added that, while the country faces many challenges, cooperation across party lines remains the best way forward.
“You have a massive responsibility, and you need all these people to make it work,” he told the President.
“Five years is a short time. Before you blink, it’s over. So, we really have to do something now,” he added.
He thanked the President for her openness, saying such engagements “restore confidence that democracy in Namibia remains alive and working”.
BCP
Body of Christ Party leader Festus Thomas described the engagement as “one of the highest-profile meetings in our nation’s history”.
He praised the Head of State’s recall and grasp of details raised months earlier in Parliament.
Thomas said his party fully supports the Land Bill, arguing that it should be passed without delay to address inequalities that have persisted since independence.
“When this bill is passed, it will solve many problems of the Namibian indigenous people,” he said.
“It must be passed quickly so the government can help the community,” he added.
Thomas urged the administration to strengthen collaboration with faith-based organisations to combat social ills.
“The government must recognise the church because it deals with people on the ground. Pastors and social workers must work together to end the suicide crisis,” he said.
In her closing remarks, President Nandi-Ndaitwah thanked both parties for their constructive tone and reaffirmed that her government seeks partnership, not polarisation.
“When we make laws, we must do so in a spirit of cooperation. Namibia must work as one nation, united by the same goal of improving lives,” she said.
The meetings form part of the President’s plan to consult all political parties represented in Parliament, a move observers say could mark the start of a new, collaborative political era in Namibia.
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