United Democratic Front (Namibia)

History

The United Democratic Front is a political party that is most widely supported by Damara people. Its roots are in the Damara Council, an administrative body for the Damaraland territory in South West Africa that inbecame a political party in 1980. In 1989, the Damara Council joined other parties in order to participate in the first democratic elections in Namibia. The result of the merger was the United Democratic Front (UDF).{{cite news |url-status = dead |archive-url = https://archive.today/20130221043625/http://www.namibian.com.na/news/full-story/archive/2013/january/article/udf-at-crossroads/ |archive-date = 21 February 2013

The founding members of the UDF were Justus ǁGaroëb, leader of the Damara Council, and Reggie Diergaardt, leader of the Labour Party. On 20 July 1989, the Patriotic Unity Movement joined the UDF.{{cite web |author-link=Klaus Dierks |access-date=11 January 2013}} The UDF formed an alliance with a number of splinter parties prior to the 1989 election:

• CANU-UDF, a wing of CANU, led by George Mutwa
• Workers Revolutionary Party (WRP), led by Attie Beukes, Erica Beukes, and Werner Henry Mamugwe
• Caprivi Alliance Party (CAP), led by Gabriel Siseho
• Original People's Party (OPP), led by Theophelus Soroseb
• Namibia National Independence Party (NNIP), led by Rudolf Ngondo
• Patriotic Unity Movement (PUM), led by Eric Biwa.

Leadership

• Justus ǁGaroëb (1989–2013)
• Apius Auchab (2013–2024)
• Hendrik Gaobaeb (2024–)

Electoral history

Presidential elections

National Assembly elections

1989

The UDF received 37,874 votes (5.65%) in the 1989 election, which elected members to the Constituent Assembly of Namibia. The Constituent Assembly elected the first President and wrote Namibia's constitution. From the UDF, President Justus ǁGaroëb, Reggie Diergaardt, Eric Biwa and Theophelus Soroseb were chosen for the assembly.

1992

The UDF won one seat in the 1992 elections for the National Council of Namibia.

1994

In 1994, electoral support for the party diminished in both relative and total support. The party received 13,309 total votes (2.72% of the national vote). Two UDF members were elected to the National Assembly (ǁGaroëb and Biwa).

1998

The party retained its single seat in the National Council in 1998.

1999

Following the 1999 parliamentary election, the UDF formed a coalition with the Democratic Turnhalle Alliance (DTA) so that the two parties could together be the official opposition despite the Congress of Democrats receiving the second highest number of votes.

2004

In the parliamentary election held on November 15 and 16, 2004, the party won 3.5% of popular votes and three out of 78 seats 1. More than half (16,081 of 29,336 total votes) of the party's electoral support came from Khomas Region, Kunene Region and Otjozondjupa Region, with the single largest total coming from Kunene. The party again retained its single seat in the National Council in 2004. The UDF MPs elected in 2004 were Justus ǁGaroëb, Gustaphine Tjombe and Michael Goreseb.

2009

In the November 2009 general election, Justus ǁGaroëb once again ran for election to Namibia's presidency with the UDF; he received 19,258 total votes, representing 2.37% of all votes and finished in fifth place. The party earned two seats in the National Assembly, down from 3 in 2004. The two seats went to party leader Justus ǁGaroëb and Simson Tjongarero.

References

References

1. Wezi Tjaronda: [http://allafrica.com/stories/200909281384.html Elections 2009 - UDF, the Undying Old Horse] ''[[New Era (Namibia). New Era]]'' via AllAfrica.com, 28 September 2009
2. Mbathera, Ester. (22 January 2024). "Gaobaeb emerges as UDF president at weekend congress". [[The Namibian]].
3. Mumbuu, Edward. (26 November 2024). "Namibia's choice: Pretenders vs Contenders". [[New Era (Namibia).
4. "''Constituent Assembly: 1 November 1989 - 20 March 1990.'' Parliament of Namibia.".
5. [http://africanelections.tripod.com/na.html#1994_National_Assembly_Election 1994 election results] africanelections
6. [http://africanelections.tripod.com/na.html#1998_National_Council_Election 1998 election results] africanelections
7. [http://www.eisa.org.za/PDF/eu200403nam.pdf Election Update 2004] {{webarchive. link. (2008-12-03 EISA December 2004)
8. [http://africanelections.tripod.com/na.html#2004_National_Council_Election 2004 National Council Election] africanelections