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The Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP) is a political party in Namibia. It was launched on 17 November 2007 under the leadership of
Hidipo Hamutenya Hidipo Livius Hamutenya (17 June 1939 – 6 October 2016) was a Namibian politician. A long time leading member of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO), Hamutenya was a member of the Cabinet of Namibia from independence in 1990 to ...
and
Jesaya Nyamu Jesaya Nyamu (born 20 March 1942) is a Namibian politician. A member of the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP), he was a high level member of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) from 1964, when he fled into exile, until 2002, w ...
, both former leading members of the ruling SWAPO party and cabinet ministers. Hamutenya had unsuccessfully sought the SWAPO nomination for President in 2004. At the time of the RDP's launch, it was considered to represent the strongest challenge to SWAPO's political dominance since the country gained its independence in 1990. According to Hamutenya, speaking at the RDP's launch, the party was "born in response to our people's deep longing for a vision, political direction and the rekindling of their hopes and aspiration for a better and prosperous future".


2008 conference and criticism of Robert Mugabe

In December 2008, RDP held the party's first national conference. Hamutenya was officially selected as leader of the party. Other party leaders included Steve Bezuidenhout,
Jesaya Nyamu Jesaya Nyamu (born 20 March 1942) is a Namibian politician. A member of the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP), he was a high level member of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) from 1964, when he fled into exile, until 2002, w ...
and
Agnes Limbo Agnes Mundia Limbo (born 12 May 1957 in Kanginzila, Zambezi Region) is a Namibian politician. A member of the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP), she was named the Deputy Secretary of the party at their founding conference in December 2008. ...
. Concerning the crises in Zimbabwe, Hamutenya said "The Zimbabwe crisis is manmade and that regime should not be allowed to continue. It has led to poverty and hardship".


Electoral history


Presidential elections


National Assembly elections


2009 elections

At the 2009 elections, RDP won 11% of the vote and 8 seats in the National Assembly. The party's leader and presidential candidate,
Hidipo Hamutenya Hidipo Livius Hamutenya (17 June 1939 – 6 October 2016) was a Namibian politician. A long time leading member of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO), Hamutenya was a member of the Cabinet of Namibia from independence in 1990 to ...
, won 10.91% of the vote. RDP and eight other opposition parties disputed the result and filed a case in court to have the results put aside, but the case was denied. The eight members of the National Assembly in 2010 were:
Hidipo Hamutenya Hidipo Livius Hamutenya (17 June 1939 – 6 October 2016) was a Namibian politician. A long time leading member of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO), Hamutenya was a member of the Cabinet of Namibia from independence in 1990 to ...
, Steve Bezuidenhout,
Jesaya Nyamu Jesaya Nyamu (born 20 March 1942) is a Namibian politician. A member of the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP), he was a high level member of the South West Africa People's Organization (SWAPO) from 1964, when he fled into exile, until 2002, w ...
,
Agnes Limbo Agnes Mundia Limbo (born 12 May 1957 in Kanginzila, Zambezi Region) is a Namibian politician. A member of the Rally for Democracy and Progress (RDP), she was named the Deputy Secretary of the party at their founding conference in December 2008. ...
, Anton von Wietersheim, Kandy Nehova, Peter Naholo and Heiko Lucks.


2010 regional elections, National Assembly boycott and merger

In March 2010, because of the disputed 2009 election, RDP decided to boycott the swearing-in ceremony of the
National Assembly of Namibia The National Assembly is the lower chamber of Namibia's bicameral Parliament. Its laws must be approved by the National Council, the upper house. Since 2014, it has a total of 104 members. 96 members are directly elected through a system of clos ...
. RDP decided to wait until the
Supreme Court of Namibia The Supreme Court of Namibia is the highest court in the judicial system of Namibia. It is the court of last resort and the highest appellate court in the country. It is located in the city centre of Namibia's capital city, Windhoek. A Supreme ...
ruled on whether to put aside the election results. It was not until 14 September 2010 that the eight RDP members of the National Assembly were sworn in. On 8 September 2010, RDP began the process of subsuming the
Republican Party Republican Party is a name used by many political parties around the world, though the term most commonly refers to the United States' Republican Party. Republican Party may also refer to: Africa * Republican Party (Liberia) *Republican Party ...
led by Henk Mudge following a memorandum of understanding agreement on September 8. In the agreement, The Republican Party would begin to phase out as an independent political organization and eventually come under the umbrella of RDP. The parties said they would work together in the November 2010 regional and local elections to unseat the ruling
SWAPO party The South West Africa People's Organisation (, SWAPO; af, Suidwes-Afrikaanse Volks Organisasie, SWAVO; german: Südwestafrikanische Volksorganisation, SWAVO), officially known as the SWAPO Party of Namibia, is a political party and former ind ...
. In 2015 Jeremia Nambinga became president of the RDP. He was voted out of that position by a no-confidence vote in 2017 but challenged the result in court, and won. In August 2018 he resigned his presidency. In 2019 Mike Kavekotora was elected president and Kennedy Shekupakela vice president.


References


External links


Official Web Site
{{Authority control Political parties in Namibia Political parties established in 2007 2007 establishments in Namibia