Swapo Party Secretary General Sophia Shaningwa has called on the party members to regain control over the Swakopmund and Walvis Bay constituencies. 

Shaningwa made this remark at Swakopmund, where she welcomed new members.

Shaningwa emphasised the economic and strategic importance of the coastal towns of Swakopmund and Walvis Bay.

Swakopmund Municipality is currently governed by LPM's leadership, while Walvis Bay is under IPC control.

Shaningwa stressed that Swapo Party members must ensure that the two towns of Swakopmund and Walvis Bay are returned to the ruling party in the November 2025 regional and local authority elections. 

"The development of our country was brought by our fathers and mothers. The people who worked very hard, the infrastructure that you are seeing here today, at Swakopmund and Walvis Bay, and the whole Erongo Region – it is me and you; it is our parents who built the stones, building roads and railways. We have a beautiful harbour in Africa, the deepest one in Africa. What we are saying today is that the coastal towns are under an opposition party, and we cannot afford this."

Among those who joined are Taapopi Shikongo, who previously served as the IPC Walvis Bay Urban Constituency Chairperson and Regional Executive Committee member; Shatiwa Dawid, Swakopmund Constituency Chairperson and Regional Executive Committee member; and Christian Kazuvire, who held the positions of Omaruru Constituency Chairperson, the region's Vice Chairperson and executive committee member.

Shaningwa called on young people to follow in the footsteps of party leaders in shaping the future.

"We have to build the infrastructure for you as you are coming in. You are going to land softly; you're not going to have a lot to do, but what we have to do is to maintain the spirit and the legacy in the survival of the Swapo Party."

The new members received copies of the Swapo Party's rules and procedures book as well as the party's constitution.