Action Democratic Movement (ADM) vice president Vincent Kanyetu has pledged to champion local empowerment in the Kavango region, vowing that his party will take over Rundu in the upcoming elections on 26 November. Kanyetu said the town, which hosts the second-largest population in Namibia after Windhoek, continues to face unfair treatment and limited support despite the growing number of foreign-owned businesses operating in the area.
Kanyetu raised concern that many companies in Rundu prefer hiring people from outside the region, leaving local residents in poverty and without meaningful economic opportunities. He stated that even security jobs positions that could easily be filled by residents are often given to workers brought in from other regions.
He further warned that businesses operating in Rundu risk losing their fitness certificates if they fail to contribute to the community through corporate social responsibility programmes. According to Kanyetu, foreign-owned companies are benefiting from Rundu’s economy while failing to invest in local development. “Those who want to do business here must do it the right way,” he said.
The ADM has endorsed independent candidate Johannes Pessa for the Rundu Urban Constituency in the upcoming regional and local authority elections.
Speaking during an ADM engagement with supporters in Rundu today, Pessa accused current leaders of operating in isolation and failing to communicate with communities. He pledged to establish platforms such as the Rundu Urban Forum to promote transparency, strengthen citizen engagement, and ensure collective decision-making.
