By Stefanus Nashama

Leader of the official opposition Independent Patriots for Change (IPC), Dr. Panduleni Itula, has dismissed recent criticism by Popular Democratic Movement (PDM) president McHenry Venaani, calling it “empty and unsubstantiated utterances”. 
Venaani, speaking during a PDM engagement in Windhoek last week, questioned the IPC’s effectiveness in holding the ruling SWAPO party accountable, claiming that a leadership vacuum now exists in the opposition space.
“We realize there is a vacuum in the space of the current official opposition and many voters now see that what they thought was gold is not gold,” Venaani said.
 

PDM was the official opposition party from for a decade before an upset by the IPC in 2024.
In response, Itula said he has no time to entertain what he described as desperate remarks made by those who were rejected at the ballot box. “I shall rather not subject the noble duty of the official opposition leader in the Republic of Namibia to the archaic decay of dishonourable comments of desperation brought about by public rejection in the electoral process,” Itula stated.
“Those who break through the rile of political decency to shock those they converse with will lose public esteem and become incapable of doing well for the people,” he added. 
The politician stressed that IPC will not adopt the “failed strategies of the demised” and will remain focused on its mandate to serve the people with transparency and purpose.
“The IPC is the official opposition in the Republic of Namibia and has received the overwhelming mandate to serve our people. We shall continue undeterred by comments rooted in frustration,” Itula affirmed.

Analysts Weigh In
Political analyst Sakaria Johannes weighed in on the political exchange, noting that Venaani’s remarks appear to be driven by frustration over PDM’s loss of status as the official opposition.
“Each political party has a mandate to hold the government accountable. No law says only the official opposition should do so,” Johannes said. He added that PDM's record while it held the opposition role was “not that impressive,” arguing that its performance contributed to its electoral decline. However, he acknowledged that IPC is still growing and must “pull up its socks and do more.”
Veteran political analyst Ndumba Kamwanyah echoed similar sentiments, warning against underestimating IPC’s potential.
“The IPC should not be discounted. It is still finding its footing,” Kamwanyah said.
At the same time, he acknowledged that Venaani, as a seasoned politician, is trying to reclaim political relevance and revive his party’s image.
 

“Venaani is not dead politically. He is repositioning himself to win back the official opposition status,” he noted.
However, he cautioned that IPC’s leadership structure may pose challenges, particularly the dynamic between Itula and parliamentary leader Immanuel Nashinge. “They should start working on internal alignment and other structural issues.”