Africa-Press – Namibia. Zambezi residents on Monday staged a peaceful demonstration to demand that the government ban secessionist United Democratic Party (UDP) gatherings that hamper peace and security in the region.
The protesters handed over a petition to regional governor Dorothy Kabula-Simushi.
UDP members held about two demonstrations this year to demand independence from Namibia.
The UDP, under the leadership of Mishake Muyongo, spearheaded an unsuccessful attempt to secede the Zambezi region from Namibia on 2 August 1999.
Muyongo formed the party in 1985 as a successor to the Caprivi African National Union.
In 1998, the UDP openly voiced support for the secession of the Caprivi, resulting in Muyongo and other leaders fleeing the country.
To date, UDP members, through the Caprivi Concerned Group, are still seeking dialogue with the government to discuss secession and other pending issues.
In a petition read by Dobson Kwala, residents say they are failing to understand why the UDP, which is banned, is still allowed to have demonstrations continuously.
Furthermore, they want to know why the government is quiet on the issue.
“The regional leadership has tolerated the UDP for some time now, while they know and understand what the laws are saying. Furthermore, the UDP’s actions have been shared with the central government on numerous occasions; however, they are not responding to the issue.
“Therefore, it makes us believe the government is also to blame for the situation in Zambezi because they are not taking any action,” the petition reads.
Kwala said the UDP’s actions have negative implications for the region, such as investors losing interest as they think there is political unrest in the region and underdevelopment.
“Their actions are also traumatic for those who lost loved ones in the 1999 secession war,” he said.
Kwala said residents are not feeling safe due to the UDP’s actions, which is why the government must address the issues.
“There is no law that allows public gatherings of unregistered political organisations in Namibia or ideologies that disturb the peace of other citizens. We call on the government to stop the UDP activities in the sovereign state of Namibia,” he said.
Kabula-Simushi received the petition and said she would forward it to the central government.
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