Political Programme
Introduction
The Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) is a mass political party founded by Namibia’s progressive democrats with the expressed purpose of contesting political power and thereby shaping the policies of the government in this country. Its founders are men and women with a shared vision of a bright and prosperous future. They are people who have come together to strive to strengthen democracy and consolidate good governance in Namibia. Its foundation represents a new dawn for the country.
The party has its roots in Namibia’s basic law. This means that the country’s constitution is the broad foundation on which the RDP’s political activity is based. Its commitment is to a democratic state that is firmly anchored in the rule of law, the observance of human rights and the fundamental freedoms that are enunciated in the Namibian Constitution. The RDP believes unequivocally that the will of the people is the source of political authority; and that political power must be vested in the people and exercised by them through a system of democratic representation. Such representation is realized through periodically held, free, fair, and transparent elections, which are a prerequisite for an effectively functioning and stable state.
Since the quality of democratic representation depends very much on the public’s understanding of the policy issues being put forth by the contending political parties, associations and civil society organizations, the RDP advocates for the fostering of a political culture that provides for unfettered popular participation in the country’s political process. In this context, the RDP places great emphasis on gender mainstreaming. It seeks to inspire active debate on all issues affecting the nation’s welfare. For participatory democracy to flourish in Namibia, the RDP believes that the field of debate must be leveled for all citizens. As such, the RDP fully embraces the principle of multi-partyism.
Accordingly, the party asserts that the struggle for political power in a democratic Namibia must be fought in the arena of ideas and that such a struggle must be free of intimidation and violence. But for this to succeed, the people have to be mobilized, informed and, indeed, educated about the goals of the policies being pursued and the legitimacy and viability of the modes of action taken to attain such goals.
The burning problems, outlined for action in this political programme, are poverty, income inequity, poor performance of the education system, unemployment and the scourge of HIV-Aids. These are clearly the major challenges facing the nation today. The RDP is mindful of the fact that without stable democratic governance and economic growth, these problems cannot be overcome. The party therefore aims to arouse the conscience and creative energy of the nation’s political leaders and economic operators for concerted efforts towards economic growth and development.
Born against the background of an alarming trend towards the politics of anti-democratic retrogression in the country, the RDP is vehemently opposed to such reactionary and anachronistic political behaviour. Such politics operate on the basis of hero worshipping on one hand, and fear-inspired exclusion on the other. This is obviously inimical to the flourishing of the democratic political culture which Namibia is committed to building, defending and entrenching.
Cowed or intimidated by threats of witch-hunt, political ostracism and job loss, many in the ranks of Namibia’s ruling circles have opted to keep quiet and sycophantly prostrate themselves before the powers that be. For its part, the Rally for Democracy and Progress rejects with contempt such cowardly obsequiousness. It fights for political inclusiveness through the expansion of the nation’s democratic space. This is its reason for existence.
Namibia is part of the wider global community. Accordingly, the RDP will cultivate friendly relations with other democratic parties and peace-loving nations, regionally, continentally and internationally.
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