as Independence fever grips Namibia INDEPENDENCE fever is mounting as Namiblans work overtime to get Windhoek shipshape to cope with the internatioDaI vlsltors from ~very corner of the globe as they pour Into Namibia to celebrate the founding of the world's newest nation. The Independence Celebrations . Committee has been forced to set up a special committee to cope with the problems of the numerous sub-com­ mittees handling the various arrange­ ments. ~ Transport and accommodation are still providing worrying moments, but officiats told The Namibian, "we will niake a plan one way or an­ other". Facilities are stretched to beyond capacity and larger jets fer­ rying in the majority ofthe 5 OOO-odd guests will have to park as far afield as neighbo.Uring countries. ' , -.. 'This afferiloon~ United Nations Sectetary-General Javier Perez de Cuellar and US Secretary of State James Baker are 'two of the top-rank­ ing visitors who will jet in. Other guests include Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak, lnilianPreinier V.P. Singh, and presidents Jose Eduardo dos Santos of Angola, Quett Masire of Botswana, Daniel Arap Moi of Kenya, Kenneth Kaunda of Zambia and Ali Hassan Mwinyi of Tanzania. , Apart from taking part in the cele­ brations, many of the foreign leaders will be holding , mini-su,mmits to discuss world and regional problems. Numerous other VIPs, bands and OUT with the old, in with the new. Above, youngsters watch as guests have already started arriving South African war machinery was transported south last week. and the capital is literally bursting at Right, youngsters in Katutura this weekend took part in a clean-up the seams: campaign ahead of independence. ' Yesterday, ' municipal officials worked throughout the day. painting lines on the newly-tarred streets, while new street lamps were fitted in Kai­ ser Street; which Swapo sources say is soon t6 be renamed Independence Avenue. Moses'to disband Swanu Traffic officials on loan from neigh. bouring states on gleaming white THE South West African National Union (SwrulU) faction led by Katjiuongua promised, the NPF would to lead the organisation into the Multi­ motorcyles have been doing "dry 'Moses Katjiuongua is to disband to form a single united party with retain its political independence and Party Conference (MPC). runs" in preparation for the big event, th~ Caprivi African National Union'(Canu). " would never be co-opted by another Time had proven the' split unnec­ while immigration officials are work­ organisation. essary and had vindicated the major­ ing loog hours to help travellers through The merger is set fo take,place at a committee's president, but the other In a long and passionate speech ity faction's stand, Claimed the Swanu passport control points at Windhoek One-Party Congress of the NPF three key positiohs were more of ,a introducing the resolution on Satur­ president. Airport. Windhoek Airport, which planned for the end of next month, surprise, Claudius Kandjou replaced day, Katjiuongull told the Congress it "Those who left achieved none of normally handles less than 40 flights The Eighth Congress of Swanu, Tjeripo Ngaringombe as vice-presi­ must not be "shy to initiate a process their objectives. They never dared a week, will have to cope with 200 held at the weekend in Khomasdal, dent, Swakopmund delegate Re~­ of change". It must rise to the chal­ throw a stone at the army or the jetliners in two days. passed a resolution last night sup­ hard Gertze "eat Katimuina Veii in lenge of becoming the "real third police, they remained well-dressed A Civil Aviation'official said the porting Katjiuongua's call to "re­ the election for general sectretary, force of Namibian politics", provid­ and well-fed, they never worked with wide-bodied jets ferrying in the cognise the new realities of Namibia" and Sue Anstey came in as treasurer. ing a middle way between Swapo Swapo on an equal basis - in fact, majority of the 5 OOO-odd expected and "accept the need to end its own After a final proclamation of the and the DTA. they became more anti-Swapo than guests would be parked at airports in political existence", , , ' resolution, Katjiuongua told the ~new NPF would be solid, united, ourselves." Zambia, Botswana, Ziinbabwe and The same strategy had alre;idy reen Congress it had seen democracy in strong and dynamic, he said. It would With its president now co-opted at Jan ·Smuts Airport in J~esburg mandated-by a recent Canu confer­ 'full phiy at·the weekend. establish a cre<hble "centre-left, social into the future government as deputy after off-loading their gu~sts. ence, Katjiuongua said, "Our beloved Swanu will be no democratic alterna'tive". Minister of Justice, the NNF was Smaller executive jets would remain In the closing hours of the Con­ more. It was a party to be proud of, Katjiuongua appealed to members totally divided about whether to work at Grootfontein. gress, a provisional leadership com­ but its goodnanie and good workwill of the other Swanu faction, led 'by , with Swapo at all or remain inde­ Meanwhile, caterers from ,South mittee of 11 was elected, along 't'ith be continued by the NPF. " Namibia National Front (NNF) presi­ pendent, said Katjiuongua. Africa are already frantically busy - 30 additional delegates to represent The new'party wou1d continue to dent Vekuui Rukoro, to "return to Calling for the breakaway faction ' preparing for Namibia's first state Swanu at the NPF One-Party Con­ .encourage the free flow otideas, and the fold". Swanu, one of Namibia's to follow the new Swanu initiative, ' banquet on Wednesday night, which gress on April 28, wouldnegotiate with both governing oldest nationalist movements, split he said it had no prospect 'of political will be held at the Sport Klub Wind­ Katjioungua was re-elected as the 'and opposition parties. But, in 1984 over Katjiuongua' s decision survival with the NNF. hoek. a-MGAcifay.'March ,19 ·1'990 Rumours 'of-new battles for British premier no LONDON - Conservative critics of embattled Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher warned on Sunday YOUR DAlLY GUIDE TO EVENTS WORLD· WIDE that a renewed challenge to her leadership looked inevitable in the autumn. The warning came hours after into near~riots. tough. I never assumed that we would Thatcher launched a counter-attack On Tuesday Chancellor of the win,' , she said. ' 'We fight every inch on dissenting' voices within her Exchequer John Major will unveil an of the ·way. " Conservative Party and vowed to fight annual budget seen as crucial for the She dismissed rumours of a plot on as leader to win a fourth succes­ government's future prospects. against her by a dissident group of sive general election victory. Opinion polls this weekend indi­ Conservative members of parliament. A fomler government minister, who cated· that the Conservatives were "I do ~ot believe there are many EAST BERLIN - First computer projections for East Germany's asked not to be identified, told Brit­ heading for their worst by~election 'doing that," she said. "The majority pioneering democratic elections confirmed a landslide for the conservative ain's Press Associationnews agency defeat in more thl!n ha~f a century in have stayed remarkably loyal." that a leadership battle was "almost their formerly safe seat of Mid-Staf­ But Conservative parliamentarian alliance, the West German television network ZDF reportetl.1t said the " Alliance for Germany, back.!d by Bonn's Chancellor Helmut Kohl, .! inevitable" this autumn if the gov­ fordshire on Thursday. Richard Shepherd said on television 'ernment's problems did not ease. A survey in the Independent on the party must decide whether the would win,53 per cent of the vote, the Social Democrats 21 per cent and Right~wing Con~ervative member Sunday said 56 pei cent of those government wOl~ l.d be' 'better served the COmmunists 13 per cent. Western observers at East Germany's of parliament Terry Dicks called on questioned would vote for the oppo­ by someo~ other than Mrs Thatcher". elections said the poll was apparently being held in a free and fair way. Thatcher to quit "sooner rather than sition Labour Party and 28 per cent The Sunday Times said the Con­ Some 30 observers from East and West fanned out ac!oss the country later and certainly before a general for the Conservatives. servatives were finalising new inter­ to check voting and counting procedures in a ballot ~xpected formally election' '. Thatcher pledged on Sunday to nal election rules designed to make ~ to ~nd 40 y~rs of communist rule and lead to unification with' West Thatcher and the Conservative Party, fight hard to win the next election, leadership battle more difficult but Germany. in power since 1979, are losing sup­ which she must call before mid-I992, critics said almost anybody could port because of unpopular economic but admitted it would be a tough win enough support to force a chal­ policies, reforms to the state-run battle. lenge. MOSCOW - President Mikhail Gorbachev denied imposing an ultimatum national health service and high in­ "We have the b~st direction, the Former defence secretary Michael on Lithuania over its declaration of independence and renewed his flati.on and interest rates. best vision and the capacity to stick Heseltine is mounting a thinly-dis, ., offer to hold talks with the rebellious Baltic republic. He spoke after A new local tax to be introduced to our guns," Thatcher told the Sunday guised campaign for the furJre lead~ voting in the second round oflocal aGd parliamentary elections being . next month has sparked nationwide Express newspaper. , er~hip of the party but has said he will held in five Soviet republics, Voters were expected to return pro­ protests that have often degenerated "I have always found elections not stand against Thatcher.